BFT #92 Discussion

[jeffcrom]

Shoulda gone with my first instinct on #13.

And sorry about the download/track order problem. I wasn't aware of it until I read this thread.

Great BFT, Bill.

[tkeith]

I was going to guess Rudresh Mahanthappa on that track, because it reminded me of precisely why I am not a fan. Sorry to hear that's Bunky, whom I do like. I'll be glad when Rudresh's 15 minutes have passed.

[Hot Ptah]

BFT 92 spinning ...

# 1 - reminds on the Manny Albam sessions from the mid-1950's ... all are competent soloists, but I find it hard to recognize anybody.

# 2 - opens with a slightly flat tenor player. The writing that follows is very nice, but the overall intonation of the ensemble is awful - sorry, but after playing with oriental musicians in different tunings and listening to much baroque music in historical tunings, my ears are kind of over-sensitive to music that is simply out of tune, which is partly the case hear. I can't understand why the tenor soloist starts screaming, either. To me he and the sloppy intonation spoil the nice arrangement.

# 3 - Eddie Palmieri's La Perfecta? That brass section of four trombones was a trademark. The pianist could indeed be Palmieri. Excellent rhythm section that must have played together for a while. Who was that band's trombone soloist? Barry Rogers? Manny Oquendo on timbales? I never heard him play a solo on more than the usual two-pair timbale set, this here has him use four drums. Very earthy, hard-hitting drum solo style. I'd like to have that album ...

# 4 - Violin in a rather sweet style. He's a little inaccurate, rhythmically, but that's very hard to do when bowing. Well he tries to swing hard ... but this is not my cup of tea.

# 5 - Boogie woogie time! Nice stuff! I Like the way the drummer plays here, he's really with the piano player. Who is this?

# 6 - Full-fledged swing big band with strings. Don't know who had strings in the band at that time ... a live recording with a very receptive audience. Nice. Yeah.

# 7 - Sounds like a tune based on Honeysuckle Rose ... no idea again. I guess this includes some familiar names.

# 8 - Strange tenor sound, strange intonation, to me he sounds like he's completely off the changes, even though the pianist gives him the most basic chordal accompaniment there is ... I don't know what to think of this. Sounds rather amateurish to me.

Second half to come ...

Interesting comments. Your musician guesses are not correct. Track #8 seems to be generating quite varied responses.

[Hot Ptah]

Here goes. As usual, I haven't looked at this thread yet. I recognized a few tracks, but they've likely been identified by now.

1. Some west coast guys, I guess. The soloists are all good, but only the alto player made me say wow. I probably should know who it is, but I dont immediately recognize him. Good stuff, although the track didnt totally blow me away.

2. I recognized Covington, Georgias own George Adams from the first note, and recognized the recording a minute later. Its a medley of Nino Rota tunes from Amacord Nino Rota, the first of those Hal Willner concept albums. Before I remembered who the second saxophonist was, I was thinking how good he sounded Ill have to go back and revisit some Branford Marsalis, because thats who it is. Brother Wynton is on trumpet, and Kenny Barron and Ron Carter are in the rhythm section. Im not going to go look it up right now, but I think the drummer is Wilby Fletcher, who used to play with Tyner. William Fischer did the arrangement. Its a strange recording the trumpet sounds like hes in the next room, which, given Wyntons reputation around here, would be just fine with some folks. This has never been my favorite track from this album, but I love George Adams, and he sounds good here, as does Branford.

You have identified it correctly!

3. I was thinking that I wasnt getting into this track as much as I should, then the insane piano solo came along. Who is that? Its crazy. The timbale soloist is pretty hot, too.

4. Sounds like Stuff Smith to me, but youre probably throwing us some kind of K.C. curveball like Claude Williams or somebody. Well, Ill make Stuff my official guess. I like his raw sound, whoever it is. The guitarist is good rather than great, and the pianist a step or two above that hes pretty good. But its mostly about the violin - thats some swinging fiddle playing.

Not your official guess, Stuff Smith.

5. Im guessing that this pianist is at least a step or two removed from the roots of the boogie woogie style. This judgment may come back to bite me in the ass, but theres a cuteness to this playing, an ironic touch, that grates on my nerves. This is the only track in your BFT which I only listened to once I couldnt make it through a second time. And I hope I havent embarrassed myself here.

You are right about the step or two removed.

6. This is more like it. It sounds like a live recording by Artie Shaws band, playing Therell Be Some Changes made. Shaw was a hell of a clarinetist, and I love the sound of his sax section. Is that George Auld on tenor? The trumpeter sounds like Hot Lips Page great playing there. Ill even go out on a limb and guess young Buddy Rich as the drummer. I enjoyed this.

It's Dave Tough on drums, but otherwise you are correct!

7. Nice swing-to-bop version of Honeysuckle Rose, whatever they call it. Good solos by most, with a piano solo thats more interesting than the others. The trumpet player seemed kind of tentative. I could make some guesses, but they would be just that guesses, so I wont bother. Enjoyed hearing this.

I think it will surprise you, when you find out who is playing on this recording.

8. Dude, this is a pretty bold move including a fellow O Board member in your blindfold test. The last time this happened, I offended the musician involved with a joke which didnt quite work. In any case, this is wonderful. Its Allen Lowe and Matt Shipp, of course, playing In Da Sunset of Your Love from Blues and the Empirical Truth. Allens playing is so expressive and vocalized, and Shipp comes off like an otherworldly Billy Strayhorn. This is a great track from a great album.

You got it! Now it is very interesting to go back and read all of the other members' reactions. I think I will cut and paste them all and send them to Allen. I wondered if anyone else had listened closely to Allen's new album.

9. I like it. Interesting writing and good solos all around. Ill guess Bob Cooper on oboe and John Graas on French horn, but I really dont know who anybody is.

Those guesses are not correct.

10. Clean Up by the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, from the Slither Slice album. The Nightcrawlers are a little more carefully arranged than most New Orleans brass bands. I occasionally find myself wishing that they were a little sloppier, but theyre still very exciting, especially live. I saw them a few years ago at d.b.a. on Frenchmen Street it was pretty funny; the first set was by an eight-piece band, but more and more folks started showing up and getting out their horns, so by the end of the night there was at least 15 musicians on stage. Great stuff, and another reminder that Matt Perrine is the greatest tuba player on the planet.

That is all exactly correct! I like the trumpet solo, too. I can't get any New Orleans stuff past you!

11. This took a couple of listens for me to get into it; at first I just thought it was odd, but it really grew on me. Nice, expressive harmonica playing. I generally dont like that kind of soprano sax sound, but the saxist is playing some interesting stuff. Nice.

This has been identified. Roscoe Mitchell is the soprano sax player. I included this because I don't know if he ever recorded anything else quite like this.

12. David Murray, playing Santa Barbara and Crenshaw Follies, but I dont know what album this is from. This is good back in the day I always found Murray to be an interesting player, although as time went on, I became less impressed, and havent really kept up with his more recent music. He swings hard and builds a nice solo here. Now if he would only use a different fingering for high E whatever hes using is flat, and its driving me crazy! Dont know who the bassist and drummer are.

This has been identified. The bassist is Richard Davis and the drummer is Joe Chambers.

13. What the hell is this? You dont hear this kind of sloppy big band very often Sun Ras band, Brotherhood of Breath, and David Murrays band all had this kind of casual, unblended attack sometimes, but I dont think its any of those although the tenor soloist sounds kind of like a young John Gilmore. No ideas, but I got a kick out of this, especially the violin solo.

Sun Ra has been identified as the artist--but does no one know the album, and the song?

14. Summit by Rudresh Mahanthappa & Bunky Green, from the Apex album. I love Mahanthappas collaborations with Green and with Indian saxophonist Kadri Gopalnath. This is a wonderful track. I love the way it changes mood when Jason Moran comes in for his piano solo. And of course, the saxophone playing is excellent. Rudreshs style is not what I want to hear all the time, but its very exciting to sample sometimes. Again, great track.

That is exactly correct. This album made most Top 10 Jazz Album lists for 2010, and I wanted to see how many Organissimo members would know it.

15. I dont know this recording, but it sounds like it could be one of Dave Hollands larger ensembles. In any case, its attractive, but kind of static it mostly stays on the same plane. I like it, but would have liked to hear it build more.

Not Dave Holland.

16. Is that Steve Coleman on alto? I havent kept up with his work since the early 1990s so I dont know if this is the kind of thing hes writing these days or not. Whoever it is, its really good. This is music with layers its not obvious music. Wonderful last track of an interesting and challenging BFT.Not Steve Coleman. This has been identified as the Exploding Star Orchestra, although the album and song have not been identified yet.

Shoulda gone with my first instinct on #13.

And sorry about the download/track order problem. I wasn't aware of it until I read this thread.

Great BFT, Bill.

Thanks for the encouraging words!

Edited November 14, 2011 by Hot Ptah

[jeffcrom]

If I ever knew that Dave Tough had played with Shaw, I had forgotten.

And I've got plenty of flaws and blind spots, but I will immodestly say that, yes, it's hard to catch me on New Orleans music.

[NIS]

I had a chance to listen to your BFT once more this morning.

The violin track kind of got my attention. Way back when I was a kid Omaha had a couple of bars that featured some really good bluegrass bands. I'm not saying this is bluegrass by any means but the violin and guitar just made me think of the "old" days. Nice music anyway.

The last two tracks of the BFT are still my favorites. I've been thinking that I've heard track 15 before, so I'm going to take another flyer and suggest that this might be from Adam Lane's CD, "Ashcan something or other". Right or wrong, the bass player is really good in my opinion.

[Hot Ptah]

I had a chance to listen to your BFT once more this morning.

The violin track kind of got my attention. Way back when I was a kid Omaha had a couple of bars that featured some really good bluegrass bands. I'm not saying this is bluegrass by any means but the violin and guitar just made me think of the "old" days. Nice music anyway.

The last two tracks of the BFT are still my favorites. I've been thinking that I've heard track 15 before, so I'm going to take another flyer and suggest that this might be from Adam Lane's CD, "Ashcan something or other". Right or wrong, the bass player is really good in my opinion.

You are correct about #15.

[Hot Ptah]

Once again I am amazed at how good this group is at identifying the songs and artists. Here is what has not been identified yet:

4. No identification of artist or album.

5. No identification of artist or album.

6. No identification of album for this Artie Shaw track.

7. No identification of artist or album.

9. No identification of artist or album.

13. No identification of song title or album for this Sun Ra track.

15. No identification of song title for this Adam Lane track.

16. No identification of song title or album for this Exploding Star Orchestra track.

[BillF]

Once again I am amazed at how good this group is at identifying the songs and artists. Here is what has not been identified yet:

4. No identification of artist or album.

5. No identification of artist or album.

6. No identification of album for this Artie Shaw track.

7. No identification of artist or album.

9. No identification of artist or album.

13. No identification of song title or album for this Sun Ra track.

15. No identification of song title for this Adam Lane track.

16. No identification of song title or album for this Exploding Star Orchestra track.

RE #6: Is the album Hollywood Palladium 1941 or In Hollywood 1940-41 Vol 2, both on the Hep label?

[Hot Ptah]

Once again I am amazed at how good this group is at identifying the songs and artists. Here is what has not been identified yet:

4. No identification of artist or album.

5. No identification of artist or album.

6. No identification of album for this Artie Shaw track.

7. No identification of artist or album.

9. No identification of artist or album.

13. No identification of song title or album for this Sun Ra track.

15. No identification of song title for this Adam Lane track.

16. No identification of song title or album for this Exploding Star Orchestra track.

RE #6: Is the album Hollywood Palladium 1941 or In Hollywood 1940-41 Vol 2, both on the Hep label?

That is not where I took the track from. I am not sure if it is also present on those Hep releases.

[Spontooneous]

There's still time to identify #4!

Jeff came really, really close. Really, really, really close.

[Hot Ptah]

There's still time to identify #4!

Jeff came really, really close. Really, really, really close.

Why don't you go ahead and ID it, Spontooneous? My Reveal will be posted in a few days, anyway, so go ahead!!!

[Spontooneous]

Very well, then. It's here.

I should add that 5, the boogie-woogie track, continues to mess with my mind.

Maybe Johnny Guarnieri?

Surely not Peter Nero.

[Hot Ptah]

Very well, then. It's here.

I should add that 5, the boogie-woogie track, continues to mess with my mind.

Maybe Johnny Guarnieri?

Surely not Peter Nero.

Yes, that is correct for #4.

It is not Johnny Guarnieri or Peter Nero on #5.

[Hot Ptah]

The Reveal will be posted tomorrow for this BFT #92.

[Hardbopjazz]

The Reveal will be posted tomorrow for this BFT #92.

Can't wait for the answers.