Blindfold Test 175 Reveal

[CardinalJazzFan]

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1. Song:  I’m Shooting High

Artist: Catherine Russell

Album: Bring It Back

Label and Year: Jazz Village, 2014

Composers: Ted Koehler/Jimmy McHugh

Catherine Russell-Vocals

Matt Munisteri-Guitar

Mark Shane-Piano

Lee Hudson-Bass

Mark McLean-Drums

Jon-Erik Kellso-Trumpet

Brian Pareschi-Trumpet

John Allred-Trombone

Dan Block-Alto Saxophone

Andy Farber-Tenor Saxophone

Mark Lopeman-Baritone Saxophone

Catherine Russell is the daughter of Luis Russell, the big band leader and musical director for Louis Armstrong. She began her solo career in the 2000s, and has recorded several albums which I think are excellent. It could be that her singing is better than her sidemen, as some members here found the backing to be like a not entirely successful recreation of an earlier time.

 

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Song: Uptown

Artist: McCoy Tyner

Album: Inner Voices

Label and Year:  Milestones, 1978

Composer: McCoy Tyner

Arranger:  McCoy Tyner

Solos—Alex Foster—Tenor Saxophone, McCoy Tyner—Piano, Jon Faddis—Trumpet

Cecil Bridgewater, Eddie Preston, Ernie Royal, Jon Faddis—Trumpets

Charles Stephens, Dick Griffin, Earl McIntyre, Janice Robinson—Trombones

Jerry Dodgion, Joe Ford—Alto Saxophones

Alex Foster—Tenor Saxophone

Ed Xiques—Baritone Saxophone

Earl Klugh—Guitar

McCoy Tyner—Piano

Ron Carter—Bass

Eric Gravatt--Drums

I love this recording, from its energy, the arrangement, the solos by Alex Foster and Jon Faddis--it all clicks for me.

 

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Song: Sabiduria

Artist: Eddie Palmieri

Album: Sabiduria/Wisdom

Label and Year:  Ropeadope, 2017

Composer: Eddie Palmieri

Arranger: Eddie Palmieri

Eddie Palmieri--Piano

Ronnie Cuber—Baritone Saxophone (solo)
David Spinozza—Guitar (solo)
Joe Locke—Vibes

Luques Curtis—Bass

Marcus Miller—Electric Bass
Bernard Purdie--Drums
Obed Calvaire--Drums
Little Johnny Rivero--Congas
Anthony Carrillo—Bongos, Cowbell
Luis Quintero--Timbales
Iwao Sado—Bata Drums

This is from a very recent Eddie Palmieri album which I think is very strong overall. This Track did not seem to get much approval from the members who commented, though.

4.

Song:  Axulito

Artist: Mario Bauza and his Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra

Album:  Tanga

Label and Year:  Messidor, 1999

Composer: Ray Santos

Arranger:   Ray Santos

Solos: Dioris Rivera—Tenor Saxophone, Conrad Herwig—Trombone, Stanton Davis--Trumpet

Victor Paz, Ross Konikoff, Stanton Davis, Larry Lunetta—Trumpets

Tracy Turner, Gregory Williams—French Horns

Conrad Herwig, Gerry Chamberlain, Bruce Eidem, Douglas Perviance—Trombones

Nathan Durham-Bass Trombone

Rolando Briceno, Eddie Alex—Alto Saxophones

Enrique Fernandez—Tenor Saxophone, Flute

Dioris Rivera—Tenor Saxophone

Jerome Richardson—Tenor Saxophone

Pablo Calogero—Baritone Saxophone

Marcus Persiani—Piano

Guillhermo Edgehill—Bass

Juan “Papo” Pepin—Congas

Carlos “Patato” Valdez—Congas, Guiro

Joe Gonzales—Bongos, Cowbell

Bobby Sanabria—Drums, Timbales, Cascara

Mario Bauza—Musical Director

I heard this song in the background at a Mexican restaurant while I was planning this Blindfold Test. It made me think of the excellent albums which Mario Bauza released in the 1990s.

 

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Song: Hub-Tones

Artist: Kamasi Washington

Album: Heaven and Earth

Label and Year: Young Turks Recordings, 2018

Composer: Freddie Hubbard

Arranger:  Kamasi Washington

Kamasi Washington-Tenor Saxophone

Dontae Winslow-Trumpet

Ryan Porter-Trombone

Cameron Graves-Piano

Brandon Coleman-Organ, Keyboards

Miles Mosley-Bass

Ronald Bruner, Jr.-Drums

Tony Austin-Drums

Allakoi Peete-Percussion

Kahlil Cummings-Percussion

I think that this new Kamasi Washington album is very enjoyable to listen to, and is mostly successful, (except for a few songs which seem overarranged with strings to me). This is one of my favorites from the album.

 

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Song: De Pois Do Amor, O Vazio (After Love, Emptiness)

Artist:  Wayne Shorter

Album: Odyssey of Iska

Label and Year:  Blue Note, Recorded August, 1970, Released 1971

Composer: Robert C. Thomas

Wayne Shorter—Soprano Saxophone

Dave Friedman—Vibes, Marimba

Gene Bertoncini—Guitar

Ron Carter, Cecil McBee—Bass

Alphonse Mouzon, Billy Hart—Drums

Frank Cuomo—Percussion, Drums

  I love this lyrical Wayne Shorter performance, released after Weather Report was underway.

 

 

 

 

 

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Song: Dreaming of the Master

Artist: Art Ensemble of Chicago

Album:  Nice Guys

Label and Year:  ECM, 1979

Composer:  Joseph Jarman

Roscoe Mitchell—Saxophone Soloist.

 

Lester Bowie—Trumpet

Roscoe Mitchell—Saxophones

Joseph Jarman—Saxophones

Malachi Favors—Bass

Don Moye—Drums, Percussion

The credits list many other instruments played by members of the group, but I do not hear them on this particular track.

This is the concluding selection on their ECM album "Nice Guys." I loved the Art Ensemble of Chicago and I think that this is one of their better studio selections. Roscoe Mitchell is smoking in his solo work here.

 

 

 

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Song: Snurdy McGurdy and Her Dancin’ Shoes

Artist: Roscoe Mitchell

Album: Snurdy McGurdy and Her Dancin’ Shoes

Label and Year:  Nessa, 1981

Composer: Roscoe Mitchell

Roscoe Mitchell—Tenor Saxophone

Hugh Ragin—Trumpet

A.Spencer Barefield—Guitar

Jaribu Shahid—Bass

Tani Tabbal--Drums

Here is a Roscoe Mitchell solo album from a few years after "Nice Guys." It is interesting to compare his soloing on the two tracks, I think. This album was released on the label owned by board member Chuck Nessa.

 

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Song: Exaltation/Religious Experience/Major

Artist: Carla Bley

Album:  The Carla Bley Big Band Goes to Church

Label and Year: Watt, 1996

Composer: Exaltation composed by Carl Ruggle

 Religious Experience/Major composed by Carla Bley

Arranger: Carla Bley

Recorded live at Chiesa San Francesco Al Prato, Umbria Jazz, Perugia, Italy

Soloists:  Wolfgang Puschnig—Alto Saxophone, Dennis Mackrel—Drums,

Lew Soloff—Trumpet, Wolfgang Puschnig—Alto Saxophone

 

Lew Soloff, Guy Barker, Claude Deppa, Steve Waterman—Trumpets

Gary Valente, Pete Beauchill, Chris Dean—Trombones

Richard Henry—Bass Trombone

Roger Jannotta—Soprano and Alto Saxophones, Flute

Wolfgang Puschnig—Alto Saxophone

Andy Sheppard, Jerry Underwood—Tenor Saxophones

Julian Arguelies—Baritone Saxophone

Karen Mantler—Organ, Harmonica

Carla Bley—Piano

Steve Swallow—Bass

Dennis Mackrel--Drums

This is from one of my favorite Carla Bley big band albums. At first I thought it was Carla on organ, but a reading of the liner notes shows that it is her daughter, Karen Mantler, on organ.

My cover of the CD has very shiny gold lettering, which I cannot find in any online image of the album cover.

10. 

Song: If You Could See Me Now

Artist: John Lewis

Album:  CD Only Bonus Track to The Wonderful World of Jazz

Label and Year:  Atlantic.

This track was recorded in 1960.

The original album was released in 1961. This CD Only Bonus Track was first released in 1988.

Composer: Tadd Dameron.

John Lewis—Piano

Jim Hall—Guitar

George Duvivier—Bass

Connie Kay--Drums

I love the sound and depth of this track. There is something about veterans playing with purpose, which young technicians cannot attain. I like George Duvivier's sound on bass on this track.

 

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Song: Was It Something I Said? 

Artist: Yoko Miwa

Album: Pathways

Label and Year: Ocean Blue Tear Music, 2017

Composer: Yoko Miwa.

Yoko Miwa—Piano

Will Slater—Bass

Scott Goulding—Drums

Yoko Miwa is a 48 year old Japanese pianist, who is new to me. I am very favorably impressed with all of this recent album.

 

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Song: Random Vibrations

Artist: Frank Ku-Umba Lacy

Album: Tonal Weights and Blue Fire

Label and Year: Tutu Records, 1991

Composer: Frank Lacy.

Frank Lacy—Trombone, keyboards

Fred Hopkins—Bass

Michael Carvin—Drums

I love the sound of Frank Lacy's trombone and Fred Hopkins' bass on this selection. It was a great loss when Hopkins passed away at a relatively young age. I think that this is one of Lacy's more successful albums.

 

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Song: Shepp’s Way

Artist: Charlie Haden

Album: The Golden Number

Label and Year: A&M Horizon, 1977

Composer: Charlie Haden.

Charlie Haden—Bass

Archie Shepp—Tenor Saxophone

I love everything about this track. I have always liked Charlie Haden's sound and playing. Archie Shepp really impresses me here as well.

Edited November 1, 2018 by CardinalJazzFan

[tkeith]

Wowsers!  Kamasi got me (sort of), again!  And SHAME on me for not getting Lacy.  I have the record, but play Moods more.  Still, that's an inexcusable miss.

[CardinalJazzFan]

45 minutes ago, tkeith said:

Wowsers!  Kamasi got me (sort of), again!  And SHAME on me for not getting Lacy.  I have the record, but play Moods more.  Still, that's an inexcusable miss.

This Kamasi album is surprisingly good. He is not a gimmick. He is the real thing. He may get people to listen to him because of his strings and choir, but they are used much less on this new album. There is a lot of straightahead jazz on the new album, with compelling solos. I hear a sound, a feel, to his music now that is more like the old jazz we love, compared to some of the young technicians and their clinical, cold sound.

[Milestones]

Nice test...lots of good stuff.  Some pieces were easy to identify, and some quite tough.

I actually saw Catherine Russell in concert a year or so ago as opening act for Boz Scaggs.  I may have downloaded an album too. 

[Hot Ptah]

Catherine Russell and Yoko Miwa are new to me. Based on what I hear here, I need to check out their recordings. Thanks for a really enjoyable Blindfold Test!