BFT #149: Reveal

[Joe]

Comments to come later, and as time permits. But, for now, answers to your questions.

1 = Chris Speed. “Alittleodd” (Speed). From Iffy (Knitting Factory Works, 1999). Speed (cl), Jamie Saft (org), Ben Perowsky (d)

2 = New Stories. “Stars Over Marrakech” (Elmo Hope). From Hope Is In The Air: The Music Of Elmo Hope (Origin Records, 2004). Marc Seales (p), Doug Miller (b), John Bishop (d)

3 = René Urtreger. “HUM CalsHUM” (Urtreger). From HUM [1979] (Sketch Records, 1999). Urtreger (p), Pierre Michelot (b), Danile Humair (d)

4 = MJT+3. “Temporarily Out Of Order” ([Muhal] Richard Abrams). From Daddy-O Presents MJT + 3 (Argo, 1957). Paul Serrano (tp), Nicky Hill (ts), [Muhal] Richard Abrams (p), Bob Cranshaw (b), Walter Perkins (d)

5 = Charlie Mariano / Jerry Dodgion Sextet. “The Vamp's Blues” (Mariano). Originally from the anthology Have Blues, Will Travel (World Pacific, 1958); now available on The Vamp's Blues (Fresh Sounds). Charlie Mariano (as), Jerry Dodgion (as), Victor Feldman (vib), Jimmy Rowles (p), Monty Budwig (b), Shelly Manne (d)

6 = Börje Fredriksson. “Bröllopsvals,” (Fredriksson). From Intervall (Columbia / Parlophone [Sweden], 1966). Börje Fredriksson (ts), Bobo Stenson (p), Palle Danielsson (b), Fredrik Norén (d)

7 = René Urtreger. “Monsieur De...” (Urtreger). From HUM [1960] (Sketch Records, 1999). Urtreger (p), Pierre Michelot (b), Danile Humair (d)

 
8 = The Spheres. “Living Time: Event V” (George Russell). From Live In Osaka!! (Blue Note Japan, 2015). Chihiro Yamanaka (keys), Dana Roth (el b), Karen Teperberg (d)

9 = Leon Parker. “You Don't Know What Love Is” (Raye - DePaul). From Above & Below (epicure, 1994). Leon Parker (d, cymbals), David Sanchez (ss), Ugonna Okegwo (b), Adam Cruz (perc)

10 = Marcello Melis. “Angedras 4 (Fire)” (Melis). From Angedras (Black Saint, 1982). Marcello Melis (b, voc, radio), Sandro Satta (as), Don Pullen (p), Famoudou Don Moye (d, perc)

11 = Julius Hemphill. “Kansas City Line” (Hemphill). From Blue Boyé (Mbari; 1977; Screwgun, 1997). Hemphill (as)

12 = Eric Leeds. “Little Rock” (Leeds / Prince). From Times Squared (Paisley Park, 1991; recorded 1985). Leeds  (ts, keys), Prince (drum programming, b, g, keys), Larry Fratangelo (perc)

13 = Lennie Niehaus. “Four Eleven West” (Benny Golson; arranged by Niehaus). From I Swing For You (Mercury, 1957). Niehaus (as), Bill Perkins (ts), Steve Parlow (bs), Ken Shroyer (tb or bass tp), Ed Leddy (tp), Lou Levy (p), Red Kelly (b), Jerry McKenzie (d)

14 = King Fleming. “I Didn't Know What Time It Was” (Rodgers - Hart). From Stand By (Argo, 1962). King Fleming (p), Malachi Favors, (b), Royce Rowan (d)

15 = Albert Dailey, “The Dues We Have To Pay” (Dailey). From Textures (Muse, 1981). Dailey (p), Arthur Rhames (ts), Rufus Reid (b), Eddie Gladden (d)

 

 

Edited September 1, 2016 by Joe

[Hot Ptah]

Wow, I own the CD from which Track #1 comes from. I have not played it in many years. I did not remember Track #1 at all.

I have never heard of the group on Track 4, which must have been a early group with Muhal Richard Abrams. I have to check that group out more.

That is Jerry Dodgion on Track #5, with Charlie Mariano? Dodgion is an unsung hero. He deserves more attention.

I have never heard of the Spheres, but I really like what they did with the George Russell composition on Track #8. I am going to try to get this album.

Wow, Don Pullen and Don Moye on Track #10, and I could not identify it!

I never had that particular Julius Hemphill album, from which Track #11 is taken, although I had other Hemphill albums from that period.

Is Prince on #12 THE Prince, the pop superstar? If so, it is very interesting that he would want to participate in music of this style.

I really liked Track #13 when I heard it. Now I am going to try to get this album. I don't have much Lenny Niehaus. Time to remedy that.

This is a really good, and enjoyable Blindfold Test. Thanks for putting such a good one together!

 

[JSngry]

Wow, Eric Leeds, who knew...not me, obviouly....

And shit, I have that Leon Parker record,loved it to death back when it was new, so sparse, so effective. I played the sshot out of it and then, uh, didn't.  And apparently forgot all about it. That sucks.

But whatever happened to Leon Parker? 

[Joe]

Indeed, that Prince. The dude had more "secret identities" and weird projects going at once than any other pop musician this side of Will Oldham. I also think Eric Leeds can play more than a little. In fact, the more I listen, the harder I find it to place him within a particular sax lineage. I hear the Gato influence only after many of you mentioned it. Maybe some Grover Washington Jr. It's sort of like he all "playing at the edges" with no center, per se. that sounds like a criticism, but it isn't meant as one. If you don't know the Madhouse stuff, BTW, very much worth checking out: http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_8 & http://www.princevault.com/index.php?title=Album:_16.

I wonder if Leon Parker relocated to Europe? The latest items I see in his discography (2009 - 2010) featuring him with what appear to be Italian players. At least we still know where David Sanchez is!

As to that Niehaus track: I included it almost solely because Bill Perkins plays such a Bill Perkins-y solo on it. After a little digging, I realized this is the same Benny Golson tune so memorably swung by Shirley Scott and Stanley Turrentine on HIP SOUL. If its true that Golson himself has never recorded this tune -- and I can find no evidence that he has -- that just adds an odd trivial slant to the whole performance.

 

 

 

[JSngry]

Was it Eric Leeds who played on "The Glamorous Life"? The 45 didn't give you the whole deal, you had to go to the LP or the 12" single to hear that. But coming as it did about the same time as Oliver Lake's Jump Up records, there was a phantom "hope in the air" that that type of "funky out" alto playing was coming into the mainstream pretty quickly. Which of course, it didn't, but the hope was fun while it lasted. It's wasn't, like HARD out, but it was definitely not what producers were putting on records to ensure airplay, if you know what I mean.

ooops...that was not Eric Leeds, but Larry Williams. Still, Eric Leeds brought some edge from outside the traditional smoothycreamybluesbite boundaries, as did so many things that Prince let into his output. RIP Prince, still.

Also, really, REALLY like the blend of the band on the Niehaus cut, not just the tones, but the phrasing. In dat pocket do deep you can call it lint.

[Joe]

Lake is a good touchstone for Leeds. I tend to forget about his roots, too, for some reason. I shouldn't! Maybe I juxtaposed the Leeds to Julius by accident... and maybe I didn't.

I dare say Niehaus' Contemporary Recordings did not really prepare me for that Mercury date. There's a "fussiness" to some of those arrangements that prevents exactly the sense of "band" that this track possesses, as you note.

Regarding the King Fleming recording: not an uninteresting pianist, to be sure, though his playing is less Don Shirley-esque on the earlier Argo's I've heard. But what a solo by Malachi!

Chris Speed arrived on the scene about the same time as Chris Potter, as I recall. He's also played with some of the same aggregations as Potter (e.g., in Dave Douglas' bands). I think I'd still rather here Speed -- especially if he is playing clarinet -- than Potter, push / shove. But this record, for me, is all about Jamie Saft, and was my introduction to his work. IMO, A musician worth getting to know better, if you don't.

[JSngry]

I dug the King Fleming, actually. the extreme upper notes were executed very well, I thought, a really nice articulation/attack. It's easy to just "tinkle" up there. This guy was speaking.

[The Magnificent Goldberg]

Phew! I was going to put a different track from that King Fleming LP into my BFT.

All three of those Argo albums are very nice indeed.

MG

[Joe]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

I dug the King Fleming, actually. the extreme upper notes were executed very well, I thought, a really nice articulation/attack. It's easy to just "tinkle" up there. This guy was speaking.

Word. I understand Fleming is still sort of legendary figure in Chicago, and would sure be interested in learning about his presence on that city's scene.

So, that Börje Fredriksson record... I only learned abut it through discussion on this board (but who mentioned it first, Sorry, I can't recall). Really nice stuff, and maybe some of the earliest recorded evidence of a Wayne influence at work in ather tenor player's playing [?].

[JSngry]

no doubt already known, but just in case: http://campber.people.clemson.edu/fleming.html

[Joe]

3 hours ago, JSngry said:

no doubt already known, but just in case: http://campber.people.clemson.edu/fleming.html

Much grass!

[JSngry]

Dude, that site is a Web treasure. It runs deep.

[Joe]

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Dude, that site is a Web treasure. It runs deep.

I see that, and I hear it. So, Muhal has Fleming roots, eh? Fascination upon fascination.

Oh, and I absolutely agree re: Jerry Dodgion. Very fine player deserving of wider recognition. He can be heard to fine effect on Marian McPartland's: PORTRAIT OF.

 

[JSngry]

Have not knowingly heard Jerry McKenzie outside of Kenton, in whose world he was definitely one of those who got it from inside. To hear him doing what he does on the Niehaus cut is just freaking great, showing him to be somebody who made his choices knowingly. Love that.

I mean, listen to this mothrrfucker on the out chorus of this, total commitment, never mind the "thrills" of all the brass, this Jerry McKenzie cat is the third dimension here.

 

He was with Kenton the first time I saw that band, and was definitely an "old man" there, but I mean, he drove that bus, jack, drove it for real. I saw that band a few times after, including with Peter Erskine, but Jerry McKenzie brought it deeper than anybody, Jerry McKenzie gave it up.