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BFT222


jojazz

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1 hour ago, Д.Д. said:

Very nice BFT - thank you!

#8 is from this album with great Frank Lowe.

 

1 hour ago, jojazz said:

Frank Lowe indeed, with Billy Bang reciting.

Actually, the album itself is not that great, IMHO. There is Charles's primitive plodding drumming (I think his style does not fit Bang at all - I can't understand why Bang chose to work with Charles so much), Sirone's high plastic nervous sound and mostly very subdued Lowe. Bang himself is not that creative in his solos, mostly going through the repetitive bluesy licks. This (nice) Coltrane tribute is not representative of the whole album.  

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/22/2022 at 0:20 PM, randyhersom said:

Hugh Ragin was the big surprise and I've been checking out the album it came from on Amazon Music, great find!

 

Guy definitely hears things his own way (and I mean that as a positive).  Really something to see him live -- has a physical presence that cannot be ignored.

 

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Apologies for this, I know I am breaking the rules by being 3 days late here! But I *really* wanted to do this BFT. Have been meaning to get to it forever.

And hi Jo! Better late than never, I hope? Here are my thoughts as I listened... and I did not cheat and look at anything in this thread first... though as I type this I see Hugh Ragin's name in the post above and am now wondering which track he was on... hmmm...

----

Track 1 - This is a Charlie Parker head and I love it but I'm blanking on the name. LOVE the drumming right off the bat. And holy trombone sound, Batman! Hang on, is this JJ? Maybe Sam Jones on bass? The more I listen to the drummer I'm hearing a lot of Elvin. Could it actually be him? An early date? Super anxious to find out more about this one. This is a killer band!

Track 2 - Moonlight in Vermont... beautiful arrangement in the horns. Lush! The alto player is smooth, smooth, smooth... like buttah. This is a nice track. I love the little interlude section that's led off by the piano too.

Track 3 - Milestones! And it's groovin right out of the gate. Oh wait, I know this one-- this is from a Walter Bishop trio album with Jimmy Garrison on bass. God I love the bass sound on this. Can't remember who the drummer is. I don't have a copy of this one but it's been on my want list. Fantastic.

Track 4 - Oh man. What a feeling on this track. What's this one called again... is it "Where or When"? Good lord this is deep. That tenor player has been through some stuff. Or wait, is that an alto? I should definitely know who this is but it's on the fringes of my brain. Gotta be someone associated w/ Ellington? This is just stunning.

Track 5 - Really cool sounds/colors on this one. Love the strings. Love the way the pianist is comping at the beginning too. Oh hang on, is that Andrew Hill? Is this from that Blue Note session with strings? This has been on my want list too. I think someone posted another track from this in another BFT and I loved it. Unless I'm way off. Either way I'm really digging this.

Track 6 - Yes! Walt Dickerson. I know this but it's been a while since I've listened...I think this is from Impressions of a Patch of Blue. Yeah... with Sun Ra on piano! Love this. I really need to give this record a spin again.

Track 7 - Within 10 seconds I can already tell I'm gonna love this. But what else is new? Oh hang on! Dick Griffin! This is "The Queen." God I love this song. In fact... proud moment which I'll brag about... Thom and I played a couple shows with DG about 15 years ago and in the middle of a free tune DG got on the piano and started playing this, and because Thom had recently introduced me to the record at that time, I was able to hear it and play along. Super great memory for me, still makes me smile. Anyway... this tune is the best.

Track 8 - A tribute to Trane, I'm sure I've heard this but can't remember fully. Is it Dwight Trible? The spoken word combined with the nod to "Spiritual" in the background is effective. I like the wordplay on all the tune titles.

Track 9 - Afro Blue of course... and it's gotta be Metheny/Holland/Haynes? But wait, that can't be. That's definitely Dave Holland though. Wait, now that sounds more like Scofield on guitar? I don't know this recording. This is great though. Wasn't aware there was a Scofield/Holland/Haynes record but that sure is who it sounds like. I'm 100% positive on Holland & Haynes anyway.

Track 10 - Beautiful alto sound on this. Something about this is vaguely familiar to me too. The alto player actually reminds me of Iain Ballamy quite a bit. Definitely sounds British or European to me. This was a nice, all-too-brief cut.

Track 11 - Oh crap, I know this one too... trying to pull this from the murky depths of my brain... sorta sounds like early Dolphy on alto. Oh no, maybe not... now that we're at the solo. I was going to guess maybe that Chico Hamilton record that he's on. I feel like I'm gonna slap my forehead when I find out who this is. Great track.

Track 12 - This is honestly the first one that's not *immediately* grabbing me. I don't love the head or the groove all that much. Some nice bluesy bits in the piano solo but I'm still not sold. Just a personal preference thing. This tenor player sure sounds familiar though. I do like the tenor solo. And hello trumpet! Yikes! OK, this does get better as it goes along! I really dig the bass solo & sound. Overall I'm mixed on this track but I'm sure I know some of these folks & I'm curious for the reveal...

Track 13 - This is pretty, some nice flute work and tasty piano work too. Oh... maybe the band is bigger than I think? I like those horn swells. Great dynamics overall. This is almost like a classical piece. I like it, but it might be a little too polite for me.

Track 14 - Solid, solid groove. My big band knowledge doesn't go that much further than Ellington and a tiny bit of Basie so I won't have any guesses on this, but hell yeah there's some great playing on this. Every soloist tells a story.

 

Jo, thanks for putting this together, great great stuff of course. It's been a while, hope to see you sometime in the near future!

Thanks for indulging my lateness and I will do better next time. Apologies to @JSngry for stepping on the toes of his BFT, which I will get to next and look forward to!!

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Hi Tim,

#1: JJ & Elvin no doubt, Tommy Flanagan's on piano and Arthur Harper, bass.

#2: Agree wholeheartedly with your reaction; Konitz.

#3: Right on!

#4: Again, in total agreement; the great Lucky Thompson.

#5: Andrew,  alright, with Maupin on tenor. Colorful indeed.

#6: Yeah! Love Walt. (Had a late night meal following a Church concert with Mr. & Mrs. [his Queen] once)

#7: Correct and true. (After talking with my wife during intermission about what got her started on jazz, i.e. "The Queen", he soon played the song on piano in dedication to her disclosure. Thom also had a memorable solo to add to our memory.

#8: Frank Lowe with the Trane-ish flourishes to Billy Bang's recitation. 

#9: Sco it is with hot Holland/Haynes!

#10: Carlos Ward with Ibrahim. So nice.

#11: You know him; see reveal.

#12: Ragin & company. Agree on the questionable groove.

#13: A bit of a mid-50's change of pace. Pianist/composer/arranger Ralph Burns (of "Early Autumn" fame) and studio band.

#14: The great Ellington men (Nance, Hodges, Carney, et al) takin' it out, with some fine, raunchy tenor from Jimmy Hamilton.

Check the reveal. Tim, for the details. 

Nice hearing from you.

 

 

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