Rabshakeh Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 I think that there are a couple of threads about recent reissues of MPS and SABA material, but nothing concentrated on the labels themselves. Surely some of the most interesting labels in terms of variety of output. They cover fusion, free jazz and straight bop, and often the strange bits in-between. Lots of records by both US and European artists. So, what are your thoughts on the labels and what for you are the stand out releases on MPS and SABA? Quote
mjazzg Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 First thought, high prices for originals...cult label collector premium Will be back with some other, hopefully more useful thoughts, about titles. Until then, a couple of absolute winners in my view Gunter Hampel Quintet - Heartplants Fats Sadi - Ensadinado Quote
Teasing the Korean Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 (edited) MPS to me epitomizes 1970s jet set decadence. It is perfect for fondue parties. You can't go wrong with the wonderful Snowflakes compilation. Here is the amazing "Wave's Lament" by the Third Wave. Francy Boland's "Claudia" would fit nicely on the Les Baxter/101 Strings classic iQue Mango! Here is Horst Jankwoski's cover of "How Short is the Time for Love" by Jerry Van Rooyen, a tune worthy of Michel Legrand. "Uptown Dance" by Nelson Riddle Roland Kovac Trip to the Mars George Shearing, "The World is a Ghetto." Edited June 23, 2022 by Teasing the Korean Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 (edited) Got this lovely Michael Naura Quartet CD — Call (MPS, 1971) — in the mail a couple days ago… AND, I almost stared a thread about MPS myself only just yesterday! Edited June 23, 2022 by Rooster_Ties Quote
Rabshakeh Posted June 23, 2022 Author Report Posted June 23, 2022 41 minutes ago, Rooster_Ties said: Got this lovely Michael Naura Quartet CD — Call (MPS, 1971) — in the mail a couple days ago… AND, I almost stared a thread about MPS myself only just yesterday! It was actually this record that made me think about starting this thread. Quote
HutchFan Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 (edited) Some of my favorites: Albert Mangelsdorff Quartet – Never Let It End (MPS, 1970) A superb group with Heinz Sauer (ts, as), Günter Lenz (b), and Ralf Hübner (d) Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Johnny Griffin – Tough Tenors Again 'n' Again (MPS, 1970) with the CBBB rhythm section: Boland, Jimmy Woode, and Klook Eddy Louiss – Our Kind of Sabi (MPS, 1970) with fellow Euro-all-stars John Surman and Daniel Humair Attila Zoller/Masahiko Sato – A Path Through Haze (MPS, 1972) A gorgeous record, not one false note Joachim Kühn – This Way Out (MPS, 1973) Kühn's group was perhaps inconsistent, but also pleasingly different, self-consciously European Hannibal & the Sunrise Orchestra – Hannibal (MPS, 1975) An under-recognized classic of 1970s jazz John Handy & Ali Akbar Khan – Karuna Supreme (MPS, 1976) A West-Meets-East pairing that actually works well Martial Solal – Suite for Trio (MPS, 1978) with NHØP & Daniel Humair; all of Solal's MPS recordings are terrific, but this is my desert-island pick Joe Henderson – Mirror, Mirror (MPS, 1980) with a dream rhythm section: Corea, RC, and Billy Higgins Lee Konitz & Martial Solal – Duo: Live at the Berlin Jazz Days 1980 (MPS, 1982) Pure improvisation -- and the finest of their many recorded collaborations, IMO Edited June 23, 2022 by HutchFan Quote
Rabshakeh Posted June 23, 2022 Author Report Posted June 23, 2022 (edited) Some others that I like: Association PC - Erna Morenta Attila Zoller and Masahiko Sato - A Path Through Haze Charlie Mariano - Helen 12 Trees Rolf and Joachim Kuhn - Transfiguration Eddy Louis's - Our Kind of Sabi George Duke - The Aura Will Prevail Martial Solal - Nothing But Piano Oscar Peterson - Walking the Line Braxton, Hampel and Lee - Familie Hannibal Marvin Peterson - Hannibal John Tchicai - Afrodisiaca Yosuke Yamashita - Chiasma Kenny Clarke / Francy Boland Big Band - Sax No End Smoke - Everything Solal, Konitz, Scofield and Pedersen - Four Keys Volker Kriegel - Spectrum It is hard to think of any other label that could have released that range of records. Edited June 23, 2022 by Rabshakeh Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 8 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said: It was actually this record that made me think about starting this thread. Quote
Rabshakeh Posted June 23, 2022 Author Report Posted June 23, 2022 7 minutes ago, HutchFan said: Some of my favorites: Albert Mangelsdorff Quartet – Never Let It End (MPS, 1970) A superb group with Heinz Sauer (ts, as), Günter Lenz (b), and Ralf Hübner (d) Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis & Johnny Griffin – Tough Tenors Again 'n' Again (MPS, 1970) with the CBBB rhythm section: Boland, Jimmy Woode, and Klook Eddy Louiss – Our Kind of Sabi (MPS, 1970) with fellow Euro-all-stars John Surman and Daniel Humair Attila Zoller/Masahiko Sato – A Path Through Haze (MPS, 1972) A gorgeous record, not one false note Joachim Kühn – This Way Out (MPS, 1973) Kühn's group was perhaps inconsistent, but also pleasingly different, self-consciously European Hannibal & the Sunrise Orchestra – Hannibal (MPS, 1975) An under-recognized classic of 1970s jazz John Handy & Ali Akbar Khan – Karuna Supreme (MPS, 1976) A West-Meets-East pairing that actually works well Martial Solal – Suite for Trio (MPS, 1978) with NHØP & Daniel Humair; all of Solal's MPS recordings are terrific, but this is my desert-island pick Joe Henderson – Mirror, Mirror (MPS, 1980) with a dream rhythm section: Corea, RC, and Billy Higgins Lee Konitz & Martial Solal – Duo: Live at the Berlin Jazz Days 1980 (MPS, 1982) Pure improvisation -- and the finest of their many recorded collaborations, IMO We picked a few matches. Some others I will definitely look into. Quote
HutchFan Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 (edited) 12 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said: It was actually this record that made me think about starting this thread. Coincidence or Synchronicity? 1 minute ago, Rabshakeh said: We picked a few matches. Some others I will definitely look into. Likewise! Edited June 23, 2022 by HutchFan Quote
Rabshakeh Posted June 23, 2022 Author Report Posted June 23, 2022 1 minute ago, HutchFan said: Coincidence or Synchronicity? Mind meld. I think that MPS and SABA, as well as having some of the first examples of jazz rock or fusion, also consistently put out some of my favourite fusion records. Quote
HutchFan Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 (edited) 40 minutes ago, Rabshakeh said: It is hard to think of any other label that could have released that range of records. Very true. Also, it probably only could have happened in the 1970s, when jazz was in a state of upheaval. Everything was in flux. Edited June 23, 2022 by HutchFan Quote
Rooster_Ties Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 11 minutes ago, HutchFan said: Coincidence or Synchronicity? It was definitely that Michael Naura Quartet date that was making me think of starting a similar thread barely 8 hrs before this one appeared (and I might well have done so myself today!) — so my vote goes for synchronicity!! Quote
HutchFan Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 2 hours ago, Teasing the Korean said: MPS to me epitomizes 1970s jet set decadence. It is perfect for fondue parties. TtK -- Even if I don't always have affinity with your musical choices, I LOVE how differently you mine the MPS catalog. Recontextualization, different ways of "making sense" of things. Right on! Quote
Chuck Nessa Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 Lester Bowie – Gittin’ To Know Y’all Don Cherry - Eternal Rhythm Dizzy Gillespie – Reunion Big Band Griff & Jaws – Tough Tenors Friedrich Gulda – Music for 4 Soloists and Band No. 1 Zoller, Konitz, Mangelsdorff – ZO-KO-MA Albert Mangelsdorff – And His Friends Oscar Peterson – My Favorite Instrument George Russell – At Beethoven Hall Archie Shepp – Life At The Donaueschingen Festival Cecil Taylor – Fly! Fly! Fly! Fly! Fly! Cecil Taylor – Live In The Black Forest Quote
clifford_thornton Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 1 hour ago, Rabshakeh said: Braxton, Hampel and Lee - Familie That record is on Birth. Sure you're not thinking of Out Of New York (Hampel, Lee, Robinson, Gregg)? Quote
Rabshakeh Posted June 23, 2022 Author Report Posted June 23, 2022 6 minutes ago, clifford_thornton said: That record is on Birth. Sure you're not thinking of Out Of New York (Hampel, Lee, Robinson, Gregg)? You're quite right. My error. Quote
mjazzg Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 1 hour ago, Rabshakeh said: Some others that I like: Association PC - Erna Morenta Attila Zoller and Masahiko Sato - A Path Through Haze Charlie Mariano - Helen 12 Trees Rolf and Joachim Kuhn - Transfiguration Eddy Louis's - Our Kind of Sabi George Duke - The Aura Will Prevail Martial Solal - Nothing But Piano Oscar Peterson - Walking the Line Braxton, Hampel and Lee - Familie Hannibal Marvin Peterson - Hannibal John Tchicai - Afrodisiaca Yosuke Yamashita - Chiasma Kenny Clarke / Francy Boland Big Band - Sax No End Smoke - Everything Solal, Konitz, Scofield and Pedersen - Four Keys Volker Kriegel - Spectrum It is hard to think of any other label that could have released that range of records. A good number I really rate too. Love to hear that Smoke album, I really rate their other one Quote
Rabshakeh Posted June 23, 2022 Author Report Posted June 23, 2022 Just now, mjazzg said: A good number I really rate too. Love to hear that Smoke album, I really rate their other one I think it is streamable. I don't own it. Those MPSs are out of my price range for the most part. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 Smoke is cool but the LP very expensive for what it is. Quote
Peter Friedman Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 Kenny Clarke/ Francy Boland Big Band - All Blues / Sax No End Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis / Johnny Griffin Quintet - Tough Tenors Dexter Gordon & Slide Hampton - A Day In Copenhagen Hampton Hawes - Hamp's Piano Hank Jones Trio - Have You Met This Jones? James Moody / Al Cohn - Too Heavy For Words Oscar Peterson Trio - Tristeza on Piano Oscar Peterson (with Milt Jackson) - Reunion Blues Quote
JSngry Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 No love for either of the Red Garland records? Even the one with Jimmy Heath? Nobody's best work, but they are "important" gap fillers (not sealers) in the chronology, and also document the reciprocal arrangement that Don Schlitten/Prestige had with the label. Quote
clifford_thornton Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 Surprised nobody has mentioned the two Nathan Davis and two Benny Bailey SABAs. For me those are crucial. Here are some more I enjoy. Barney Wilen - Auto Jazz, Dear Prof. Leary Irène Schweizer Trio/Manfred Schoof/Barney Wilen/Dewan Motihar Trio - Jazz Meets India Jef Gilson - New Call From France Joachim Kühn Trio - Bold Music Rolf Kühn/Phil Woods - The Day After Rolf Kühn - Devil in Paradise New Jazz Trio - Page One & Page Two Steve Kuhn - Watch What Happens Pedro Iturralde/Paco De Lucia - Jazz Flamenco Wolfgang Dauner - Free Actions Dusko Goykovic - As Simple As It Is George Gruntz - Noon In Tunisia (though there are perhaps better versions of Maghreb Suite out there) Hideo Shiraki Quintet - In Berlin: Japan Meets Jazz Enrico Rava - Katcharpari Hans Koller - Relax With My Horns Quote
sidewinder Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 (edited) Not to forget John Taylor ‘Decipher’ and Art Farmer/Jimmy Heath ‘From Vienna With Art’. Or Freddie Hubbard ‘Hub of Hubbard’. Oh - and Francy Boland ‘Flirt and Dream’ and Fats Sadi ‘Ensadinado’. 3 hours ago, clifford_thornton said: Barney Wilen - Auto Jazz Still trying to get my head round that one ! Edited June 23, 2022 by sidewinder Quote
clifford_thornton Posted June 23, 2022 Report Posted June 23, 2022 Yeah, Decipher is a great one too -- I do have that LP. Can't think of too many MPS/SABA records that are actual stinkers, to be honest. Auto Jazz is rad. He actually was field recording the race in which the accident happened. IIRC, the group later performed in museums with this soundtrack and visual accompaniment. Sort of a more grim "free jazz" exploding plastic inevitable, I guess? Quote
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