Arthur Blythe - Columbia LPs to CD!!!

[Eric]

Between these and the Blood Ulmer, it's quite the bonanza.  Illusions and Lenox Avenue have been out before.  Hopefully they put Elaborations and his Monk album on a subsequent 2-fer.

For some reason, can't seem to upload the pic.

http://www.amazon.com/Tradition-Lenox-Avenue-Breakdown-Illusions/dp/B01DD02A7E/ref=sr_1_64?s=music&ie=UTF8&qid=1461993179&sr=1-64&refinements=p_n_date%3A1249114011%2Cp_n_binding_browse-bin%3A387645011

Edited April 30, 2016 by Eric

[alankin]

[Milestones]

These were way overdue.  Blythe made several classics on Columbia.

Bur what is the 4th record?

[Eric]

1 hour ago, Milestones said:

These were way overdue.  Blythe made several classics on Columbia.

Bur what is the 4th record?

Blythe Spirit

In retrospect, pretty amazing that he had a nine year run with Columbia.

[alankin]

Who is issuing these?

[Eric]

50 minutes ago, alankin said:

Who is issuing these?

Pretty sure it is BGO in the UK.  I have bought a bunch of their stuff over the years, all genres.  

[HutchFan]

Good news.  

Thanks for the heads-up.  

[danasgoodstuff]

Hopefully they'll improve the sound on In the Tradition.

[felser]

10 hours ago, danasgoodstuff said:

Hopefully they'll improve the sound on In the Tradition.

BGO generally does a great job on remastering.

[mikeweil]

How's the sound on this reissue? I remember having one of the Columbias and being annoyed by the rather harsh sound - although Blythe stated he wanted it this way - a "hard cut" to appeal to popular music listeners of the day. I'd prefer a more "natural" sounding remastering - if anybody has had a listen, please report.. 

[jazzbo]

It won't be released until July. . . .

[mikeweil]

I'll gladly wait. 

[sidewinder]

9 hours ago, felser said:

BGO generally does a great job on remastering.

Very true !  These will be good..

[robertoart]

They're all special. Very Special. That Monk record is a big favourite of mine. I remember reading somewhere (probably Downbeat) that one of the NYC venues had started a label to release in house recordings , circa early 2000's I think. They recorded a set of Arthur Blythe gigs with Lonnie Smith and Blood Ulmer in the band. I was looking forward to it but it never eventuated sadly. 

[Eric]

On 5/1/2016 at 2:50 PM, robertoart said:

They're all special. Very Special. That Monk record is a big favourite of mine.

Me too.  I hope we see a second 4-fer disc with that one, Elaborations, Da-Da and basic Blythe.  Or a 2-fer with the Monk lp and Elaborations.

[Guy Berger]

Am I right to assume these albums are essential?  I have Lenox Avenue Breakdown already - are the other 3 equivalent in quality?

Also, what is the James Blood Ulmer reissue mentioned?

[jazzbo]

"Free Lancing" is coming out in June. The one downside I see is that it is on Wounded Bird. . . those reissues don't always sound the best.

[jeffcrom]

2 hours ago, Guy Berger said:

Am I right to assume these albums are essential?  I have Lenox Avenue Breakdown already - are the other 3 equivalent in quality?

Opinions will vary, but I consider Illusions to be absolutely essential - one of the great jazz albums of the period.

Edited May 3, 2016 by jeffcrom

[JSngry]

Damn fine records all, and quite the varied lot too. At the least, they're essential to check out.

[Eric]

15 hours ago, jazzbo said:

"Free Lancing" is coming out in June. The one downside I see is that it is on Wounded Bird. . . those reissues don't always sound the best.

True, but I won't give this one a 2nd thought.  Had the lp in college and loved it.

[Guy Berger]

13 hours ago, JSngry said:

Damn fine records all, and quite the varied lot too. At the least, they're essential to check out.

Sounds good.

It's unfortunate that Wynton & Branford ended up financially sponsored as "young lions" instead of folks like Hemphill, Murray, Blythe, Lake, etc - people who wanted to make music "within the tradition" without simply recreating it.

[JSngry]

Blythe had a good run for Columbia...I think he was signed before the Wynton thing hit really big...iirc he was a hit item at the Tin Palace, a club where Crouch was a regular, back when Crouch was advocating for the freesiders, especially those like Blythe & Murray who he was familiar with from his LA days.

Blood, for that matter, was getting quite a bit of NYC stir, not so much from "jazz" as from the "No Wave" crowd. It was a time when "loft jazz" was a buzzword, not just musically but with marketing as well.

It was a crazy time, really, Columbia's jazz binge starting mid-late 70s, more interesting activities than first recollection might suggest, vault material and new releases, pleasant surprises and raging disappointments. Then it gradually cooled off into the whole "Young Lions" thing, industry evolving one way, actual music another. But Branford did give Henry & Ware their shots, so, credit for that. But that was Branford more than "Columbia".

OTOH, Columbia's jazz had always been eclectic, and never wholly existed apart from marketing angles.

[Olie Brice]

Don't really know any of these albums, Blythe has been on my 'must check out properly' list for ages - but that much reissued Fred Hopkins is exciting!

Edited July 19, 2016 by Olie Brice
text appeared twice for some reason

[l p]

i came across an odds and ends item from the prime years

Arthur Blythe
from cd 'God Rest Ye Merry, Jazzmen' (Columbia 1981)
The Christmas Song
Fred Hopkins, Steve McCall, John Hicks

https://www.discogs.com/Various-God-Rest-Ye-Merry-Jazzmen/master/930516

 

[felser]

17 hours ago, Olie Brice said:

Don't really know any of these albums, Blythe has been on my 'must check out properly' list for ages - but that much reissued Fred Hopkins is exciting!

Lenox Avenue... is the most essential leader date he ever did IMO, and is included.  Carpe dium.