BTF 40 - Disc One

[Eloe Omoe]

I guess that some of you haven't received the BFT discs yet. I am starting the discussion thread anyway, because in the next couple of days I will be out of town quite often.

There's a little bit for everyone, I hope, but this BFT has not a fixed theme. It's all music I like, with some funny things thrown in for good measure. Some standards, a couple of curveballs, some famous musicians (quite identifiable, I think) and some quite famous but not so easily identifiable .

I had a great time with this BFT. Hope you enjoy the music.

luca

Edited September 6, 2006 by Eloe Omoe

[RDK]

Received the discs yesterday, Luca, and just started to listen to them now. Thanks!

[Big Al]

Track 1: That is one SERIOUS Jazz Crusaders groove! If this is on the Mosaic box, I may be springing for that ASAP (or at the very least, putting it on the Christmas list!). Helluva way to start a BFT!

Track 2: My first thought was that this was one of those Dexter at Copenhagen sides, but then the second tenor came in. I still think it’s Dexter, maybe Sonny Stitt on the 2nd tenor, no clue when or where. And, to be honest, it’s a little too slooooow.

Track 3: Tenor & guitar, no piano! I love this kind of lineup, and can’t wait to find out who it is. My first thought was Mark Elf, since he rarely uses a piano. No clue on the tenor player. Eddie Gomez on bass?

Track 4: That trombone sounds like it’s being blown through a Hefty bag. Electric bass is off-putting. The whole group sounds way too loose, like someone called a Monk tune but nobody agreed on which one to play, so they all played a different one simultaneously.

Track 5: Eight-and-a-half minutes of this???? Random squawking? No offense, but this may very well be THE most unlistenable BFT track I’ve ever heard! NEXT!!!!!

Track 6: Nice little swinger! Who’s that singer? She’s so kitschy, it’s wonderful! It’s like listening to an opera singer try to swing! Lovely! And an accordion! Uh-wun’erful uh-wun’erful!!!!

Track 7: Sounds like a Basie-type band, but not Basie himself. Swings nicely, though!

Track 8: Grappelli? I know less than nothing about jazz violin. But this sure swings, that’s for sure! Sounds like it was recorded at a Prairie Home Companion taping. A jazz square-dance! Where’s Bugs Bunny? “Whomp your partner, whomp him high / stick yer finger in his eye / pretty little ribbon, pretty little sound / bang yer heads against the ground!”

Track 9: Sounds like the tenor player is on a totally different wavelength, not to mention time-signature, than the rest of the band. Sounds like he’s trying to play a ballad, while the band is trying to play a swinger. Good Lord! What is that guitar player doing???? It’s like he’s run it through a Marshall, a Leslie, hyperdrived it to death, and then decided to play something completely away from what the rest of the band is playing. YIKES!!!! NEXT!

Track 10: Ahhhh, now yer talkin’! Sounds like a late-40’s/early-50’s R&B groove, and a welcome respite after the directionless noise of the previous track! Like I said before, I love pianoless quartets with tenor & guitar!

Track 11: Not much of a fan of solo instrument performances. It’s a nice enough version of “’Round Midnight,” I guess. Oh, wait; I guess this is a band performance. It’ll be interesting to see who this is. How does he get that harmonic sound like that?

Track 12: Some good greeeeeaze here! Is that George Braith? Or maybe Rahsaan? That’s gotta be Brother Jack there!

Track 13: Nice, as classical music goes, I s’pose. I’m guessing this is supposed to be a jazz standard played on a classical guitar, but I’m not hearing it. And that’s my hangup, not anyone else’s.

Track 14: More classical sounding stuff. NMCOT. Still not into solo horn performances. Sorry.

Track 15: Ummm.... Sorry, this one lost me as well.

Track 16: Back to the groove! Yes! No clue! Yes! Short, sweet, & swingin’! Just the way I like ‘em!

Track 17: Heheheheheh! I love the “fidelity” of this one! What would be really amazing is if these guys played those “skips” intentionally.

Nice job, Luca. Can’t say I enjoyed all of it, but I can tell you put your heart into this, and for that it was worth the listen!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

BFT 40 DISC 1

There’s some very nice stuff in this disc; thank you Luca. But I’ve also been a bit frank about the ones I don’t like at all. No offence.

1 What a lovely Latin groove to start off with! Really gets you into a good frame of mind. A nice tune – a tuneful tune. Love the voicings of the horns. Tenor solo that’s really tellin’ it. Very down home piano solo. A little bit of trumpet at the end, keeping the groove and the mood. I REALLY can’t be asked to try to work out who these players are. This is just another album I have to try to find.

2 A walking bass intro, leading to a tenor sax, then another, and maybe a third. I think I know #2, but can’t bring up a name. All of each player’s short statements seem to pick up perfectly from the previous one. It’s as if they’re taking turns playing the same solo. When the brushes and piano come in, it sounds like they’re playing “Body & soul”. And I love that smooth voiced bit! Another good ‘un.

3 Unison theme from guitar and tenor on a good swinger. Nice solos all round. Another good ‘un, but probably not demanding instant purchase! (Phew – these BFTs can get expensive!)

4 Tune sounds like “Donna Lee”. Very brash trombone solo. I like the trombonist’s sound; very twenties/thirties. Odd for such a tune.

5 “The band that doesn’t play together”. Not very dancefloor-friendly, this.

6 Thirties recording, I guess. Don’t know the tune, but it appears to be called “Sugar plum”. Is it a German singer? With possibly a German band. Aha, accordion solo! Must be French:)

7 Nice band arrangement on this reminds me of Henry Mancini, but isn’t. Soprano sax solo; is it Bob Wilbur? Quite pleasant.

8 “Jambalaya on the bayou” played by a violinist live. Much applause for the violinist. Even the applause after the piano solo seems more to be for the violinist stepping back up to the mike. So I guess he’s the leader.

9 Tenor, bass & brushes. What’s that sound in the back? Synth? Not keen on this. I think I know the tune. Synth solo; still not for me. “Speak low” at the end; have they been playing that all the time? Who cares?

10 “Take the A express”, tenor & rhythm. I like the approach. Oh yes! This is a tenor player I should know. I feel embarrassed because, now I’ve played it on the hifi, as well as the walkman, he sounds even more like someone who’s quite prominent in my collection, but I still can’t place him. A good one.

11 “Round midnight” by bass clarinet, first solo, then with bass. Another I don’t like at all.

12 Ah! Recorded on 7 May 1965, first session for the leader back at Prestige. Although the sleeve notes say that only one of the two tenor players is on this track, I’ve always thought that both were playing in the ensemble passages. Anyone else hear that?

13 Guitar and guitar. Something vaguely familiar about the tune. Anxiously awaiting the end. Far too long.

14 Very spiky tune played by alto & clarinet. Quite unpleasant. Don’t like either. No idea what these guys are trying to tell me.

15 Piano, then bass enters, then drums. This one’s slow to get going and slow to close as well. But once they get going, there’s a good groove. In comes a violin. Very inventive, very dramatic, yet always keepin’ it real. This is another I’d buy, were I convinced the band would keep it real on all trax.

16 Alto & rhythm. I know this tune. Sounds like a live performance, though there’s no applause. Very funny sound. This sounds like a good quiz question; who’s the altoist? Sounds like someone not quite as good as Sonny Criss. Which might mean that it IS Criss.

17 “Skipping along the sunny side of the street”. Very strange. It reminds me of a party piece an altoist friend of mine used to do when he occasionally sang with his New Orleans band. He did a version of Morton's "Doctor Jazz" with a fault on the line. Very clever and amusing.

MG

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Track 1: That is one SERIOUS Jazz Crusaders groove! If this is on the Mosaic box, I may be springing for that ASAP (or at the very least, putting it on the Christmas list!). Helluva way to start a BFT!

Not in the Crusaders box, but don't let that stop you buying it! I don't know who it is, but it doesn't sound like the Crus to me.

MG

[Big Al]

Track 1: That is one SERIOUS Jazz Crusaders groove! If this is on the Mosaic box, I may be springing for that ASAP (or at the very least, putting it on the Christmas list!). Helluva way to start a BFT!

Not in the Crusaders box, but don't let that stop you buying it! I don't know who it is, but it doesn't sound like the Crus to me.

MG

Yeah, I kinda figured it wasn't them, even if I was hoping it was. The trumpet solo threw me off.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Track 1: That is one SERIOUS Jazz Crusaders groove! If this is on the Mosaic box, I may be springing for that ASAP (or at the very least, putting it on the Christmas list!). Helluva way to start a BFT!

Not in the Crusaders box, but don't let that stop you buying it! I don't know who it is, but it doesn't sound like the Crus to me.

MG

Yeah, I kinda figured it wasn't them, even if I was hoping it was. The trumpet solo threw me off.

Whatever it is, it's one I think I'll be getting.

MG

[Eloe Omoe]

BFT 40 DISC 1

12 Ah! Recorded on 7 May 1965, first session for the leader back at Prestige. Although the sleeve notes say that only one of the two tenor players is on this track, I’ve always thought that both were playing in the ensemble passages. Anyone else hear that?

Yes, me That's the reason I chose this version against the first one on Riverside (where there's a trumpet and a tenor sax).

[Eloe Omoe]

There’s some very nice stuff in this disc; thank you Luca. But I’ve also been a bit frank about the ones I don’t like at all. No offence.

No offence at all! Please be frank. That's the spirit of the BTF, in my opinion.

[Eloe Omoe]

15 Piano, then bass enters, then drums. This one’s slow to get going and slow to close as well. But once they get going, there’s a good groove. In comes a violin. Very inventive, very dramatic, yet always keepin’ it real. This is another I’d buy, were I convinced the band would keep it real on all trax.

Well, the rest of the disc is still better (even if it won't appeal to Big Al at all ), but I wanted to feature this particular tune and all the other tracks go longer than this one...

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

15 Piano, then bass enters, then drums. This one’s slow to get going and slow to close as well. But once they get going, there’s a good groove. In comes a violin. Very inventive, very dramatic, yet always keepin’ it real. This is another I’d buy, were I convinced the band would keep it real on all trax.

Well, the rest of the disc is still better (even if it won't appeal to Big Al at all ), but I wanted to feature this particular tune and all the other tracks go longer than this one...

Thanks Luca - I await answers with bated breath.

(More expense!)

MG

[Eloe Omoe]

Thanks Luca - I await answers with bated breath.

(More expense!)

Well, it's almost impossible to get (do you feel better now? )

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Thanks Luca - I await answers with bated breath.

(More expense!)

Well, it's almost impossible to get (do you feel better now? )

No - but thanks for trying!

MG

[Big Al]

15 Piano, then bass enters, then drums. This one’s slow to get going and slow to close as well. But once they get going, there’s a good groove. In comes a violin. Very inventive, very dramatic, yet always keepin’ it real. This is another I’d buy, were I convinced the band would keep it real on all trax.

Well, the rest of the disc is still better (even if it won't appeal to Big Al at all ), but I wanted to feature this particular tune and all the other tracks go longer than this one...

YIKES!!!!!!!

[RDK]

I usually listen to a BFT disc several times before writing any comments, but I thought I'd do it a bit differently this time and go wth first impressions. This disc was a mixed bag for me - it started out very strong, then progressed with tunes that I either liked or simply was a bit indifferent to. I didn't dislike/hate anything (i rarely do), but a couple of tracks I could probably do without. Regardless, Luca, a very enjoyable and interesting selection of tunes - many thanks! Only a couple jumped out at me as possibly familiar, and I really appreciate that as I love these BFTs for introducing me to new things...

1. I like this – groovy, growling bari sax, almost sexual-feeling, like stripper music Might go on a bit too long though since there’s a lot of repetition.

2. Yeah, now we’re talking! Dueling baris? No idea who, but I wanna know… Hmm. Even more saxes added to the mix or overdubbing? Great mood!

3. A bit of a letdown after the last two, but this is a solid, groovy number. Thought it perhaps a bit generic-sounding at first, but I really dig the bassist. The bass almost *sounds like Eberhard Weber, but the style of music doesn’t fit for it to be him.

4. Sounds like an older recording at first, but then sounds quite modern once the ‘bone and bass solo. I should know the name of this tune, but…

5. Love the room presence of this recording – very echo-y and atmospheric. Okay, don’t care for it so much after the sax solo. The violin, I would guess, is Billy Bang, so maybe one of those Hat discs. ???

6. Nice transition!

7. Not bad, but a bit dull as well. Tries to sound like “vintage” big band, but I suspect it’s something much more recent. Technically good, but the “feel” seems somehow inauthentic.

8. My dislike of the violin in Track 5 notwithstanding, I really like jazz violin and this is no exception. Country-jazz. If they played jazz on Hee-Haw, it would probably sound something like this. Yee-haw!

9. This is cool – an unusual/eclectic mix of sounds. Is that a bass guitar or some sort of organ? Lots o’ terrific fuzz/grunge on it.

10. Hmm. Maybe a bit too Richie Cole for my tastes at the moment.

11. How can anyone not recognize this classic tune? Love the way the notes bend in the solo. I may have this one.

12. Okay. More later…

13. Guitar sounds more classical than jazz. I’d guess Laurindo Almeida, but it’s probably some European guy I’ve never heard before. Lovely.

14. Duel saxes (or clarinet?) are initially grating to me, but I like this much more during the solo.

15. Paul Bley on piano? Odd piano sound, though, almost sounds a bit “prepared.” Interesting, but goes on far too long without really going anywhere for me. A lot of this sort of improvised a-g jazz is better heard live imo.

16. Should know this tune too as it sounds familiar.

17. Heh. Very funny!

[Bright Moments]

so i am spinning it now! i will edit as i go along!

1 - WOW this is GREAT!!! i really need to get this cd!!!

2 - sudden mood change - hmmmm think i will play #1 again!

3 - ok

4 - me like!!!

5 - squeak squeak!!! too long - eh.

6 - AH! back to the old days! nice!

7 - GREAT!! another must get!

8 - yee haw! but i like it!

9 - ok

10 - oh yeah!!!! good stuff!

11 - an old favorite, nicely done!

12 - another great one i have to get!!!

13 - good stuff!

14 - ok

15 - beautiful!

16 - i dig it!

17 - lol!

thanks luca for an enjoyable ride! can't wait to see the answer to #1 - my favorite on the BFT and one i need to own!

Edited September 10, 2006 by Bright Moments

[JSngry]

I slept on the sign up for this one, but Big Al was nice enough to send me a copy. It was the intensity of his reactions, pro & con that piqued my interest.

The discs arrived yesterday afternoon, and the following reactions are from a treu "blindfold test" situation - I'm hearing these cuts for the first time while posting. The usual thanks are firmly in place.

TRACK ONE - Nice scoring, nice section playing. Tenor is sorta between Plas & Lockjaw, might even be Plasl. Pianist? Well, ok. This band sounds not unfamiliar w/more "pure" salsa, but I doubt that anybody here is directly from that genre. Maybe some jazz players who have worked some/a lot of those gigs. Pleasant enough, and I really enjoyed the ensemble blend + the painist's interaction with same, but that's as far as I can take it.

TRACK TWO - Weird! Meditations on Hawk is what it sounds like. One guy gets into his own thing a little bit. There's four tenors, right? I guess it's cool, but damn is it insular. And if anybody of these tenorists were born after, say, 1960, I'm gonna puke. Why? Just because.

TRACK THREE - First impression is of a 60s Creed Taylor produced Kenny Burrell Verve side recorded @ Rudy's, but the bass is recorded too directly. A Topsy type thing, but with a twist, what with that major thing snuck in. It's nice, good stuff, but the "hook" for me is the highly reverbed sound. The actual playing, fine as it is, could be anybody.

TRACK FOUR - "Au Privave", of course. Sounds like they were pleased with the results.

TRACK FIVE - The altoist sounds like Ernie Henry on acid. And I mean that in a good way. I've got no use for the pianist (at least on this cut), but that alto player, man! And everybody else! These cats can play their instruments exactly how they want them to be played, and they're not hung up on playing "jazz". Not everybody who plays "jazz" is a "jazz musician" (and that's a big part of the problem with jazz in general right there), if you know what I mean, and not every "jazz musician" plays "jazz" (and that's a big problem with the jazz audience in general right there), if you know what I mean as well. The whole thing is reminiscent of an early Muhal side (although I've never felt as unegaged with anything Muhal's played as I do with this pianist) on Delmark, and may well be one I've got but haven't listened to in ages. No matter, I very much enjoyed what I heard.

TRACK SIX - O....k... Not at all relevant to my lifestyle, but... Let's just say that my interest in "ephemeral" pop music of the post-rock era better not be dissed by anybody who enjoys this. It is well-played though. But so is "Lightnin' Strikes".

TRACK SEVEN - Oh HELL yeah! That melody is some old nursery rhyme or something, I can't remember. But - this band is right in this particular pocket. Call them Lint! Some very well-seasoned pros. Kids, students and wannabes can not make a big band sound like this. Just can't. And that sopranoist, hey, that's what I'm talking about. Play what you've live, play what you know, play what you don't know but want too, just whatever you play, keep it real. This sounds like the real deal, and I'm good for that.

TRACK EIGHT - "San Antonio Rose". I hear this kind of stuff fairly regularly, so there's no sort of "exotic" element to it for me. This is good, nothing more, and nothing less. There's better, and there's definitely worse. I suspect it might be some old Bob Wills guys who've aged in body but not in spirit.

TRACK NINE - Took me a chorus to glom on to it, but it's the changes to "What Is This Thing Called Love". Those changes lend themselves very well to inside-out blowing, and that seems to be what we have here. Not sure I'm really warming up to the "attitude" here, but that's my problem. Tenor player sounds like a nice enough person. I do wish the guitarist(?) would get laid though. The rhythm section is trying their best to substitute, but it ain't the same thing...

TRACK TEN - Well, ok. Let's cruise! Almost Lockjaw in a few spots, but not quite. I'd really like to know who this is, for historical purposes. It's either immediately pre- or post- Jaws. Either way, I wanna know.

TRACK ELEVEN - I guess it's hard to escape the shadow of Dolphy when playing bass clarinet. Not sure that's an excuse though... Hey - this cat can play the instrument, and that gets props right there. But skill alone does not make for a compelling musical experience.

TRACK TWELVE - Sure sounds like early Houston Person. This is nice.

TRACK THIRTEEN - Not my thing, but well-played and seemingly sincere. Playing on top of the beat, perhaps even rushing it in spots, but if that's where/how it's felt, then hey...

TRACK FOURTEEN - Nice. Very lyrical. Not "song-like", but with attention paid to the contour and flow of the lines and the melodic content therein. Altoist is somebody I should know. Hell, it's Ornette! I was not aware of THIS ALBUM until now. BIG THANKS!

TRACK FIFTEEN - It's good. The only problem I have with it is that there's been enough other things done in this vein that the "deifference" is no longer really different to me any more. My problem, that. But there's certainly nothing "wrong" with it, and in it's time (assuming that this is one of the earlier pieces of this type), it was probably gripping. To some extent, it still is, just not nearly as much as it once was.

TRACK SIXTEEN - Phil Woods, suited for airplay. Hey, Phil Woods can play, might even be a "master". I'm just not too into him.

TRACK SEVENTEEN -

Thanks for a good ride. No crap involved, that's for sure, just some stuff I personally didn't connect with, as well as some I did (and an new Ornette discovery!). On to Disc Two!

[Eloe Omoe]

TRACK FIVE - The altoist sounds like Ernie Henry on acid. And I mean that in a good way. I've got no use for the pianist (at least on this cut), but that alto player, man! And everybody else! These cats can play their instruments exactly how they want them to be played, and they're not hung up on playing "jazz". Not everybody who plays "jazz" is a "jazz musician" (and that's a big part of the problem with jazz in general right there), if you know what I mean, and not every "jazz musician" plays "jazz" (and that's a big problem with the jazz audience in general right there), if you know what I mean as well. The whole thing is reminiscent of an early Muhal side (although I've never felt as unegaged with anything Muhal's played as I do with this pianist) on Delmark, and may well be one I've got but haven't listened to in ages. No matter, I very much enjoyed what I heard.

Thanks for joining the party, Jim. It's a great pleasure . Your reaction to track 5 is exactly what I was looking for when I decided to select this performance.

Edited September 10, 2006 by Eloe Omoe

[Eloe Omoe]

TRACK FOURTEEN - Nice. Very lyrical. Not "song-like", but with attention paid to the contour and flow of the lines and the melodic content therein. Altoist is somebody I should know. Hell, it's Ornette! I was not aware of THIS ALBUM until now. BIG THANKS!

Well, I think it's a very good Cd. And Ornette is not exactly a common guest on other people's records...

[JSngry]

No, he's not. And that's kind of a drag. His work on that Geri Allen BN side is some of his best "recent" work imo. And this one is really fine too. I apprecite it's inclusion very much!

[MartyJazz]

Apologies to the past few BFT compilers from whom I got the discs but didn’t bother to give any input. So here goes:

1. Rudimentary Latin bag. Tenor reminds me of David Murray in spots, but if so, track is a spoof ‘cause this certainly isn’t his thing.

2. Bunch of tenors, probably youngsters who may have been on that Robert Altman homage to KC jazz, paying tribute to Hawk’s landmark ’39 take on “B&S”. Not for me.

3. Is this “Blue Lester”? Very listenable track. Scott Hamilton is a guess only because he’s the one retro pre-bop player I know who would perform this piece. If so, is it Howard Alden on guitar?

4. “Au Privave”. Couldn’t listen to more than half a minute to that awful trombone. Sorry.

5. Between the aimless alto and piano, I lost patience waiting for this piece to get somewhere around the three minute mark.

6. No guesses here, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this group went incognito when the 3rd Reich arrived on the scene.

7. Pleasant subdued big band blues but not striking enough for me to identify anyone.

8. Type of music I would enjoy if was in a park on a beautiful day and witnessed this performance live, ‘cause it’s obvious they’re having fun, but otherwise not too listenable on a CD.

9. Definitely a variation of “What is This Thing…..”. I dig this. The tenor is evocative of Joe Lovano. Is that a bass saxophone or a contrabass clarinet that follows the tenor? Whatever, he ruins the track.

10. I should know who this tenor is. Jacquet or Cobb perhaps? Anyway, it cooks. I’m sure Big Al digs this track. Ooh, fadeout….yuk!

11. Homage to Eric here. It’s certainly done in Dolphy’s solo bass clarinet style. Don’t know who this is however.

12. Nice enough, like the tenor. Guitar does nothing for me, actually sounds like he’s lucky to have been on the date, hope it’s not someone well known. Nice runs on the organ, but I’m lost when it comes to ID’g anybody on this instrument.

13. Can’t ID guitar players either although piece seems to be in a more classical Charlie Byrd vein.

14. Ornette-inspired duet. Clarinet is beautifully played, evocative of John Carter. Alto could be Ornette upon further listening but I know he didn't record with Carter........I think.

15. Pleasant enough in a minimalist way. NMCOT.

16. “Pent Up House”? Sounds like Phil Woods or someone who digs him a lot. I’ve always wanted to dig Woods ‘cause of his honesty, but whenever I go to put on a CD by him, I invariable choose a McLean side instead.

17. This why I prefer CDs to LPs. Funny!

[Eloe Omoe]

6. No guesses here, but I wouldn’t be surprised if this group went incognito when the 3rd Reich arrived on the scene.

I think that's exactly how it went...

[Eloe Omoe]

3. Is this “Blue Lester”? Very listenable track. Scott Hamilton is a guess only because he’s the one retro pre-bop player I know who would perform this piece. If so, is it Howard Alden on guitar?

Yes, it is "Blue Lester", but no retro-pre bop players here.

[Big Al]

10. I should know who this tenor is. Jacquet or Cobb perhaps? Anyway, it cooks. I’m sure Big Al digs this track.

yyyyyyyyyyyyyyyup!!!

[Tom Storer]

Here goes, my fresh-off-the-CD comments, no Googling or any of that. CD1 has some good stuff on it and I look forward to CD2!

BFT 40 CD1

1. Not bad, I guess, but I feel the tenor player didn't do much with his solo--just coasting. And I wish the drummer had done a little more playing instead of rote time-keeping. No idea who they are.

2. Beautiful! Four tenors of the old school. Is Hawkins the first? I'm thinking Hawk, Byas... I love the heavy-lidded atmosphere, the poise with which they all step up to say their piece.

3. Love that chabada beat! René Thomas/Bobby Jaspar? The LaFaro-influenced bassist has personality.

4. Hot stuff, but the frenetic quality and what sounds like weird trafficking of the trombone sound makes it seem almost like a put-on. And does somebody cry "Hey, Big Bird!" in the middle of it? Odd.

5. Very nice indeed. I'm glad they play in sequence rather than together. The tenor player has some obvious jazz phrasing, with the others it's not so clear. I especially like the violinist, who reminds me of Carlos Zingaro with Joëlle Léandre. Otherwise, could this be a gang of French players? Louis Sclavis, Sylvie Courvoisier, that sort of thing?

I also like the way this echoes the round-robin method of the four-tenors piece (#2).

6. I liked it until the singer came in. Other than her, it's enjoyable enough.

7. Very cool. Beautiful soprano sax solo--I could name a bunch of people it's not, but it's a lot harder to say who it is! Love the band, too, very much at ease.

8. Innocent fun. No clue who it is.

9. Sounds like Joe Lovano in a trio--wait a minute. What's that? Electrically distorted guitar? Hmmm. I'm thinking--Ellery Eskelin with Daniel Humair, Marc Ducret and Bruno Chevillon?

10. Lots of good tenors on this blindfold test!

11. I'll guess it's David Murray playing this version of "Round Midnight." Not my favorite, but whoever it is is playing a beautiful song on a beautiful instrument, so it's easy on the ears.

12. Organ jazz is not what I know best, shameful though it is to admit, so I won't offer any guesses. Love the tenor. The guitar solo is curiously limited rhythmically.

13. Love it. I'll guess Bucky Pizarelli just for the hell of it, because I don't think it sounds like Gene Bertoncini, and they're the only ones I can think of off the top of my head who are likely to record solo guitar

jazz pieces in this style.

14. Ornette. I don't know of any duets with clarinet but that doesn't mean there aren't any. I look forward to seeing what this one is.

15. For me this bogs down quickly. I think if you're going to have that kind of drumming you need drama, whereas the piano here sort of broods and gestures and tinkles but doesn't do anything to really grab your attention. And then it's as if the atmosphere in the recording studio was, "Uh... does anyone know when this is supposed to end?"

16. Oh, I like this one. Classicism has its rewards. The rhythm section knows its business--love those bebop drums.

17. Oops. The skipping makes it hard to listen to.

Edited September 11, 2006 by Tom Storer