Milestones Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 I have always enjoyed Ed Blackwell. I loved his work with Ornette, though I also loved Billy Higgins--and then I found that Higgins played with everyone. Blackwell had considerably less visibility. I recently heard him on an early Don Cherry record, and then there's his work with Old and New Dreams (in effect, an Ornette alumni band). I know he played with Randy Weston, one of my all time favorite artists; but there seems no trace of them recording together. Late in life he appeared with Joe Lovano, Jay Hoggard, Ray Anderson, and some others--all good records made even better by his fine drumming. Please talk about your favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul secor Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 I heard Ed Blackwell play live a couple of times with Jane Ira Bloom in the 1980's. I was impressed by the subtlety of his playing and his use of dynamics in his playing. He never overwhelmed the other musicians in the band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milestones Posted December 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 Another fine record is Mighty Lights with Jane Ira Bloom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B. Goren. Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 This is one of my favorite: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlhoots Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 What It Is & What It Be Like are 2 of my all time favorites. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) Another vote for the Enja dates (WHAT IT IS / WHAT IT BE LIKE). This, too, is essential, IMO. Edited December 18, 2012 by Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milestones Posted December 18, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 Who is in the band on What It Is & What It Be Like? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mjzee Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 I saw him once with Don Cherry. What a great groove, totally his own. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSngry Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) Who is in the band on What It Is & What It Be Like? Ed Blackwell: Drums Mark Helias: Bass Carlos Ward: Sax, Flute Graham Haynes: Trumpet This, too, is essential, IMO. Absolutely definitely inarguably yes. Edited December 18, 2012 by JSngry Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brownie Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) Ed Blackwell was a unique, vitalizing drummer. The Ornette Coleman albums from the early 60s were my discoveries of his talent. The Eric Dophy at the Five Spot were confirmations (still my favorite albums with Blackwell), then the duo sides with Don Cherry on Actuel-Byg. So many more... Heard him live with Don Cherry on a couple of occasions. Edited December 18, 2012 by brownie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John L Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 If I see a session with Ed Blackwell that I don't have, I usually try to grab it. Ed Blackwell is one of a handful of artists like that. It is pretty hard to make a bad record with Ed Blackwell on drums. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
king ubu Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 Still haven't heard the BYG duos with Cherry, darn! But I fully endorse the recommendations for the two Enjas and for "Red and Black"! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soulpope Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 always loved his colaboration with Mal Waldron Soul Note (It) SN 1118 Mal Waldron - The Git-Go: Live At The Village Vanguard Soul Note (It) SN 1148 Mal Waldron - The Seagulls Of Kristiansund Both of these plus Waldron`s remaining Soulnote output can be found rather cheaply on subject 4CD Box-Set ;-) http://www.amazon.de/Quintets-Waldron-Mal/dp/B0065HDLJE/ref=sr_1_2?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1355823511&sr=1-2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 I heard him live only once, at the Village Vanguard, with Don Cherry (plus Carlos Ward and a tuba player). From my seat, I could not really see him, as my view was obstructed by the pillar, but he sure sounded great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mracz Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 The trio albums with the same rhythm section as the above (Waldron, Workman, Blackwell) are also very good indeed: Breaking New Ground and You and the Night and the Music. I downloaded the former from emusic a couple of years ago and just picked up an LP of the latter. Breaking New Ground includes a Michael Jackson cover (!) and You and the Night is mostly standards. It has Reggie and Ed well forward in the mix, and it's wonderful to hear the trio as a TRIO rather than piano + bass and drums. The interaction between the three is very special and very intense. Ethan Iverson refers to them admiringly as the "Mal Waldron Evil Trio". They also recorded an LP of Satie covers (sic) which I would be intrigued to hear at least once... Ed was a master and always brought something special to the music-making. I love his work on Don Cherry's Complete Communion as well. I only heard him live once, in the Ornette Quartet with Dewey and Charlie Haden at Princes Street, back in the early 70s, a real treat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) More greatness from Ed and Dewey (in a trio with Cameron Brown)... The Waldron collaborations are also fine, as mentioned... but it bear remembering that this partnership goes all the way back to the Dolphy / Little band Five Spot recordings of 1961. The recently issued duets with Wadada Leo Smith are excellent, too, and make for an fascinating comparison with the many Cherry collaborations. Finally, a word for some of the earliest Blackwell on record, from his days as one of NO's pioneering modernists... This same group (I believe) also recorded a "reunion" date for Black Saint in the late 80s, FROM BAD TO BADDER. Edited December 18, 2012 by Joe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeffcrom Posted December 18, 2012 Report Share Posted December 18, 2012 Finally, a word for some of the earliest Blackwell on record, from his days as one of NO's pioneering modernists... This same group (I believe) also recorded a "reunion" date for Black Saint in the late 80s, FROM BAD TO BADDER. I was going to mention Blackwell's work with the pioneering New Orleans modernist group The American Jazz Quintet. This is another good one - studio recordings for AFO: And yes, From Bad to Badder is a reunion, with Earl Turbinton added: It was recorded in Atlanta in 1987 at a three-day Ed Blackwell Festival, which also produced Old and New Dreams Tribute to Blackwell album. The highlight was a performance by the Ornette Coleman Quartet with Cherry, Haden and Blackwell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve Reynolds Posted December 19, 2012 Report Share Posted December 19, 2012 for me the best Ed Blackwell recordings are the later ones - number one being Joe Lovano's 'From the Soul' from 1992 also great is 'Sounds of Joy' with Lovano andf Anthony Cos from maybe 1990 of the older records, the fulcrum has to be the legendary Five Spot recordings from 1961 with that one in a million band. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guy Berger Posted December 19, 2012 Report Share Posted December 19, 2012 Love the Redman/Blackwell duets album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milestones Posted December 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted December 19, 2012 Yeah, Lovano is a big fan. He had Blackwell on at least two records and did the tribute to him: "Message from Blackwell" (I think that's the title). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chuck Nessa Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 How can anyone ignore Blackwell's recordings with Ornette? That's the shit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kh1958 Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 My favorite Ed Blackwell recordings are This is Our Music and Ornette! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colinmce Posted December 20, 2012 Report Share Posted December 20, 2012 Agreed, kh1958. Ornette! especially. I enjoyed his work on Braxton's Six Compositions (Quartet) 1982 the other day. I wish he and Braxton were able to lay down a duo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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