BFT 68: The Reveal

[Joe]

1. Old Reliable (Lucky Thompson, though credited here to Oscar Pettiford [?]; arr., Benny Golson ) / from Jimmy Cleveland's RHYTHM CRAZY (1959)

Jimmy Cleveland (tb); Art Farmer (tp); Benny Golson (ts); Jerome Richardson (fl); Hank Jones (p); Milt Hinton (b); Osie Johnson (d)

Chose this as an opener for its fanfare-like qualities, of course... but I also wanted to include this track because I've always been a big fan of Lucky Thompson the composer, and was surprised... somewhat; Cleveland, after all, being a major presence on the TRICOTISM sessions... to find that this LP features Golson (brief but wonderful and, to my hear, Thompson-esque, solo) arrangements of both this and "Tom-Kattin'". In fact, AFAIK, this is the only other recorded version of this tune.

2. Phoofnick (Gary McFarland) / from Dannie Richmond's IN JAZZ FOR THE CULTURE SET (1965)

Dannie Richmond (d); Willie Bobo, Victor Panoja (perc); Cecil McBee (b); Jaki Byard (p); Toots Thielemans (g)

A forgotten track from a pretty rare LP, most known (notorious?) for its "jazzed up" version of "Blowin' In The Wind" and it's Warhol-inspired jacket. The bell tree proved not to be for everyone, but it fits the mock-exotica of the whole performance... and this is a Performance. And, really, is there anything Jaki Byard COULDN'T do?

3. If You Grin (You're In) (Ed Bland) / from James Moody's RUNNING THE GAMUT (1964)

James Moody (as); Thad Jones (tp); Patti Bown (org); Reggie Workman (b); Tootie Heath (d)

So, this group invented both "Papa's Got A Brand New Bag" and Miles Davis' "Rated X" in the secret laboratories of Scepter Records? Who'dathunk? Maybe this track is just a lark, but, for a joke, its pretty serious stuff.

4. Radebe (Dudu Pukwana) / from Johnny Dyani's WITHCDOCTOR'S SON (1978)

Johny Dyani (b); John Tchicai (as; first solo); Dudu Pukwana (as); Alfredo Nascimento (g); Luiz Carlos DeSequeira (d); Mohamed Al-Jarby (perc)

There was a period there in the late 90s during which I acquired just about every session I could find that had some connection to Chris McGregor's Blue Notes. But the actual Blue Note recordings (with a couple of exceptions) never really connected with me the way this record (and the later SONG FOR BIKO) do. Must be the Afro-Brazilian elements. Remains a favorite to this day. "Magwaza", which I almost included here but chose not to as it is a bit too easily identifiable, still gets me every time I spin it.

5. Three-Legged Dance (Ernie Krivda) / from the Cadence All-Stars LEE'S KEYS PLEASE (1987)

Ernie Krivda (ts); Glenn Wilson (bs); Alan Simon (p); Rory Stuart (g); Jeff Halsey (b); Jon Hazilla (d)

All fine players with pretty low profiles. I've always liked the rhythmic trickiness of this piece, and I think it takes some pretty expert improvisors to navigate it successfully. I can understand how some might find the whole thing a bit stiff, though. Krivda... his performance here kind of polarized this audience, but I think its pretty wonderful in a "Tower Of Power Meets Bartok" mode.

6. Close To The Soul (Frank Lowe) / from Frank Lowe's EXOTIC HEARTBREAK (1982)

Frank Lowe (ts); Butch Morris (tp); Amina Claudine Myers (p); Wilber Morris (b); Tim Pleasant (d)

Profound, soulful, exploratory -- this is one of my desert island discs. This was a band. And, together, I think they produced one of the finest essays ever written on the whole "Blue Note sound" phenomenon.

More of my thoughts on Lowe here... I said it all, and better, then...

http://www.onefinalnote.com/features/2001/lowe02/

7. Juju (Wayne Shorter) / from Stephen Riley's INSIDE OUT (2005)

Stephen Riley (ss); Neal Caine (b); Greg Hutchinson (d)

Another unexpected / unusual rendition of a tune you should know; runs here and there that even recall Evan Parker, which was not anything I expected. Harmonic chops this guy has in spades. Riley's a fine young player -- I actually kind of prefer his tenor work; I think he has a very distinctive tone of the larger horn -- and I wanted to get some more contemporary work into this BFT.

8. Calcutta (Frank Strazzeri) / from Frank Strazzeri's TAURUS (later reissued as VIEW FROM WITHIN) (1973)

Frank Strazzeri (elp); Conte Candoli (tp); Frank Rosolino (tb); Don Menza (ts; fl); Gene Cherico (b); Dick Berk (d)

Rhodes! Sounds to me like a languid collision of Horace Silver's early 70's work and Bobby Hutcherson's mid-70's work... something about the horn voicings, the spaciousness, the melodic funkiness. Really fascinating, I think, to hear these West Coast players in a "modal" context. Plus, Strazzeri has the double Z in his last name like I do, so of course I had to include him. (BTW, Dick Berk... little-known but fabulous drummer; check out his work with Don Friedman.)

9. Polody (Teddy Charles) / from TEO MACERO AND THE PRESTIGE JAZZ QUARTET (1957)

Teo Macero (ts); Teddy Charles (vibes); Mal Waldron (p); Addison Farmer (b); Jerry Segal (d)

Teo could play. Love the sort of strangulated lyricism he was capable of. And its hard (or pointless) to find fault with this backing group here. Though what's up with that Gypsy Rose Lee ending?

10. Street Organ (Vyacheslav Guyvoronsky / Vladimir Volkov) / from Vyacheslav Guyvoronsky & Vladimir Volkov's contributions to GOLDEN YEARS OF THE SOVIET NEW JAZZ VOL. 1

Vyacheslav Guyvoronsky (tp); Vladimir Volkov (b)

I like the fluency and wit of this, and, in fact, all of the duets collected in this Leo Records omnibus. (More thoughts here: http://www.onefinalnote.com/reviews/v/vari...new-jazz01.asp). Guyvoronsky has also recorded a couple of duets with accordionist / vocalist Evelyn Petrova that are definitely worth hearing (if a bit more out there). And speaking of pump organs...

11. Great Golden (?) / from Jonathan Lomax's & Nick Wrigley's LAND OF HAM (1998)

Jonathan Lomax (harmonium); Nicholas Wrigley (perc)

Self-released. Obscure, to say the least. A good, immersive drone. Free, but hardly aimless. Echoes for me of Alice Coltrane rather than Sun Ra (there's not the Ra spikiness here), maybe with Rashied Ali performing a quietly ecstatic soft-shoe behind her.

12. Wiletta's Walk (Horace Tapscott) / from Horace Tapscott's THOUGHTS OF DAR-ES-SALAAM (1997)

Horace Tapscott (p); Ray Drummond (b); Billy Hart (d)

Late, somewhat valedictory ("hey, a Tapscott release not on Horace's own label!") session for the great pianist / composer / organizer. I guess he does sound a little feeble here, though I prefer to place this in the category of "doing everything you can with what you've got"... and let's face it, I don't know that anyone will ever be able to match the intensity of that Flying Dutchman date with Arthur Blythe and the dual drum set-up (Everett Brown & Walter Savage). Better, maybe, to temper it, as these players do here.

13. Prospect Park West (Junko Onishi) / from Junko Onishi's WOW (1993)

Junko Onishi (p); Tomoyuki Shima (b); Dairiki Hara (d)

Back in the days when I regularly shopped for CDs and was willing to pay $7 just to audition something that looked interesting, I would see Onishi's Blue Notes, well, everywhere. I think I eventually chose to give this (Japan-only) release a try because it features an interpretation of Ornette's "Broadway Blues". So, I thought to myself, she'll be a Bley and Jarrett-inspired performer. Not quite, and I'm more than OK with that.

14. Dance For A Nisei Hipster (Glenn Horiuchi) / from Glenn Horiuchi's OXNARD BEET (1989)

Glenn Horiuchi (p); Francis Wong (ts); Taiji Miyagawa (b); Leon Alexander (d)

I could write a long paragraph here about the hell of identity politics and postmodern pluralism and such, but... no. Maybe there's an agenda animating this music, maybe there isn't. Certainly, this is no TOKYO BLUES of SHADE OF JADE. Also, proof that a performance does NOT have to be without flaws to be worth a listen (or two).

15. Interim (Hal McKusick) / originally issued on the BIRD FEATHERS compilation; now available as a bonus track on the OJC reissue of Hal McKusick's TRIPLE EXPOSURE (1957)

Hal McKusick (as); Billy Byers (tb); Eddie Costa (p); Paul Chambers (b); Charlie Persip (d)

Should I be surprised that this was originally issued on Prestige? I feel like I should and I shouldn't. Anyway, I've always loved this as a "mood" piece. McKusick is one of those players whose influences seem obvious (Konitz; Bird; Desmond) and yet he manages to do something entirely original with them. What's up with the final phrase he plays in his solo? And Eddie Costa: wonderful player. Not to mention the always crisp Charlie Persip.

16. Buster's Tune (Buster Smith) / from THE LEGENDARY BUSTER SMITH (1959)

Buster Smith (as); Eddie Cadell (ts); Leroy "Hog" Cooper (bs); Charles Gillum (tp); Clinton Smith (tb); Herman Flowers or Boston Smith (p); Josea Smith (b); Robert Cobbs (d)

So I have some local pride. If you found the previous selection a little too polite... well, I hope you brought a bottle to this party. And a notebook. Because there is some significant schooling happening here.

17. Pillsville (Nick Ayoub) / from Nick Ayoub's THE MONTREAL SCENE (1964)

Nick Ayoub (ts); Al Penfold (tp); Art Roberts (p); Michel Donato (b); Emile Cisco Normand (d)

Courtesy da bastids (http://www.dustygroove.com/item.php?id=cjxs8c73hh). I believe this is what is known as a dangerous tempo. Ayoub reveals more of a Coltrane ear elsewhere on this record, but there's nothing derivative here, IMO.

18. Mob Rule (Chris Fagan) / from Chris Fagan's LOST BOHEMIA (1991)

Chris Fagan (as); Bobby Bradford (tp); Reggie Workman (b); Andrew Cyrille (d)

Bobby sounds pretty fantastic on this date. This was a date nearly impossible to track down for a while, but it looks like Fagan (a very measured but not uninteresting player) has recently made it more widely available via CD Baby. As far as "free-bop" goes, while it might not be Old & New Dreams, it certainly has much going for it.

19. Gloss (Jon Eardley) / from Jon Eardley's FROM HOLLYWOOD TO NEW YORK (1955)

Jon Eardley (tp); Pete Jolly (p); Red Mitchell (b); Larry Bunker (d)

Another oft-over-shadowed trumpeter. Less prone to Brando-esque brooding than Chet Baker; definitely brassier, which intrigues me and has always made those Mulligan CALIFORNIA CONCERTS dates among my favorites in his discography. Pete Jolly's solo here is either corny or the most rollicking bop ever.

20. Dexter Rides Again (Dexter Gordon) / from Charles McPherson's CON ALMA (1965)

Charles McPherson (as); Clifford Jordan (ts); Barry Harris (p); George Tucker (b); Alan Dawson (d)

What a fascinating mix of players. But, for me, its all about Clifford Jordan's solo and its "build". He takes this performance (with Alan Dawson's able assistance) to another place, level, callitwhatchawanna.

21. Poinciana (Buddy Bernier / Manuel Lliso / Nat Simon) / from Allan Chase's DARK CLOUDS WITH SILVER LININGS (1995)

Allan Chase (as); Ron Horton (tp); Tony Scherr (b); Matt Wilson (d)

My thoughts here: http://www.bagatellen.com/?p=518

22. A Tear A Minute / from Richard Poole's, George Garzone's and Jeff Palmer's OPPOSITE VOLTAGE (2000 [?])

George Garzone (ts); Jeff Palmer (org); Richard Poole (d)

Another date that was very hard to find until the advent of CD Baby. I remember tracking this down based on a positive review in an old issue of CADENCE... but also because I was looking for a date that showed off Palmer's B-3 abilities. And I wanted to include a non-Larry Young related "free" / experimental piece featuring B-3. Still looking for the solo LP he recorded for Improvising Artists...

23. Up From The Skies (Jimi Hendrix) / from Susie Ibarra's RADIANCE (1999)

Susie Ibarra (d); Cooper-Moore (diddley-bo); Charles Burnham (violin)

The circle will NOT be unbroken...

24. Variations On A Folk Song Written In The Sixties (Roscoe Mitchell) / from Roscoe Mitchell's 3 X 4 EYE (1981)

Roscoe Mitchell (reeds); Hugh Ragin (brass); A. Spencer Barefield (g); Jaribu Shahid (b); Tani Tabbal (d)

... by and by, Lord, by and by. Or, if it is, I'll fly away. (Fearsome delicacy, however that's possible. Leave it to Roscoe.)

25. It's So Hard To Wait (Neil Young) / from Buffalo Springfield's LAST TIME AROUND (1969)

Nobody's darling of a record, and for some good reasons (its like a more starkly divided WHITE ALBUM), but I've always appreciated this track and its placement / sequencing. I also feel like Richie Furay hardly ever gets his props; that's a tenor. Looked for a credit for the horn players but no dice. As I listen to it again, now, this track strikes me as being far less jazzy and far more a molasses-fied Stax/Volt Memphis jag through the countrypolitan... goodbye Los Angeles, hello LA...

Thanks to all for participating.

J

Edited November 7, 2009 by Joe

[Hot Ptah]

Well, it's no wonder that I could not guess the artists.

I enjoyed this test very much. Armed with these answers, I have a new shopping list.

[Noj]

I have the Strazzeri and the Macero but didn't place 'em. Crap.

Thanks again, Joe! Great compilation.

[jeffcrom]

Well, I guess i avoided total humiliation - I got the soloists on the first track. Can't believe I mistook Teo Macero for Stan Getz, but at least I wasn't the only one. And I do like Frank Lowe, even that track didn't do much for me.

A used CD store near where I work has the Allan Chase album - think I'll pick it up Monday.

Thanks for an interesting BFT.

[tkeith]

Really surprised by Roscoe Mitchell. That did nothing for me.

In the other direction, really surprised by Teo, whom I've never really dug, but to have him lead me to J.R. Monterose, well, I guess it's time to give Teo another listen. I'll just have to not watch Straight, No Chaser so I can avoid him revealing himself as a jive jack-ass.

[JSngry]

WAAAAY many surprises!

[Big Al]

A fantastic BFT Joe, with some of the most interesting answer comments I've ever read! I hope you'll participate again soon!

Like Hot Ptah, I have a new shopping list!

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Damn! I've been meaning to get that Buster Bailey for decades!

Need to reconsider McPherson, too.

Thank you, Joe.

MG

[Spontooneous]

Wow. Any satisfaction I might feel from identifying Bobby Bradford on 18 is obliterated by the feeling of stupidity for having missed Buster Smith, whose alto is on display at the club I visit most in Kansas City.

I'll be ordering some of your CDBaby finds, and trolling around for that Leo anthology.

[mikeweil]

Well, I didn't fare that bad, after all ....

[Joe]

Well, I didn't fare that bad, after all ....

Mike -- indeed, you are the only listener to identify Jeff Palmer. I'm curious... what's, in your opinion, is the recording that best showcases Palmer's abilities? I've always found him an "interesting" player, but I've had a hard time fully enjoying the dates issued under his name (80s production values have something to do with this).

Thanks,

JM

[mikeweil]

Jeff Palmer's "Shades of the Pine" on Reservoir is the most conventional on the surface - bluesy tune, and a straight ahead groove attitude - John Abercrombie, Billy Pierce, Smitty Smith - if you come from more soulful organ jazz this might be a good starting point.

The next step would the one on Audioquest with Arthur Blythe - one step further out, and then the one on Soul Note with Rashied Ali.

The best IMO is "Burn'in the Blues" with Vincent Herring, Abercrombie and Bob Leto - but that one may be hard to find.

I thought I had started a thread on him - I should do so.

Edited November 11, 2009 by mikeweil

[neveronfriday]

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