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Hi all,

I'm very pleased to present this month's BFT. I'm more interested in your impressions of the music, good or bad, than whether you can actually identify anything (I'm not always very good at that part myself).

Also, a note for those who might think this BFT is not for them after listening to track 1-- skip ahead and I bet you'll find something you like.

Enjoy!

http://thomkeith.net/index.php/blindfold-tests/

Thanks to Thom for keeping this train a 'rollin!

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Ha! I feel like this happens every time I do this... the track I think is the "surprise" is the one that's guessed right off the bat. :D

I thought some of the first several tracks were the easiest to ID, but bam, you went right to #13 and nailed it. Well done! I love this track so much, it makes me cry. Love the vocal and that soprano solo is off the charts.

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It seems like there might be an element of parody in there, like of the whole Norman Connors thing. Maybe, But the best parody is that in which you can never quite be sure, and this is definitely that. SO theatrical! I think there's a video somewhere of this in performance, this and "Honky Tonk Bud". I think...

No matter, Ed Wilkerson puts things together like few others. He should be a household name!

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BFT 224

1 – “Miles Mode”, certainly sounds like it’s the drummer’s album – he’s an animal, whoever he is.  Spectacular version!  First tenor soloist sounds like he has the Coltrane-era Pharoah Sanders thing down, and second tenor soloist also really good.  Thought at first this must be the Idris Muhammad version, but it’s not.  I need this!

2 – This is good stuff.  Another cut without a pianist.  Very facile bass player, with those double stops and all.

3 – This is amazing!  No guesses.  I need this even more than I need #1!  I will be revisiting this cut often.

4 – Love the concept, but not so much the execution.  Has to be from the 70’s.  Don’t think it’s Airto and Flora, but whoever it is memorized their records.  I like the trumpet solo.

5 – Pretty, though it fades into the background some for me.  I do like it.  Very nice touch on the piano.

6 – Older, I assume 50’s.  Well done for what it is.  I enjoy this, but not in my wheelhouse.  Lockjaw?

7 – Verve-era Betty Carter?  Fabulous, whatever it is.

8 – Solid, so good. That is one clean trombone player!  Interesting that there are vibes rather than piano on something that sounds this straight ahead.   I have to think this is sitting on my shelves somewhere, as these are obviously big-time musicians.

9 – Piano duo, which is generally not a favorite format of mine.   I recognize the song, but the title isn’t coming to mind.

10 – Well done for what it is, but again, I’m generally not a big duet guy.  I like my rhythm sections!

11 –Vocal is lost on me.   Band can play, but not something I would choose to listen to.

12 – This is the Carla Bley type of thing, which is generally (and in this case, specifically) lost on me.  Guitar player especially gets on my nerves.  Worst cut by far on the BFT for me.

13 – The singer ruins the cut for me, to me painfully bad.  Her Broadway credentials would seem to be in order.  The sax solo also doesn’t do much for me.  The composition and orchestration are beautiful (though the lyrics sounded a little loopy once I started paying attention to them).  Looking forward to reveal to see if anyone else has done this song.

 

Thanks for the stimulating BFT!  I liked the earliest cuts best, not sure if that means anything.  Can’t wait for some of the reveals, especially #3, also #1,2,7,8. 

 

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Thanks, enjoyed listening, all good and no clinkers.

Don't have much in the way of ID or substance to add to the discussion (apart from Jaws in 6 and I should know the players in 8 - Art Farmer comes to mind), so will stay away from the thread for a while to avoid spoilers.

Will be listening more and researching.

 

 

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2 hours ago, JSngry said:

It seems like there might be an element of parody in there, like of the whole Norman Connors thing. Maybe, But the best parody is that in which you can never quite be sure, and this is definitely that. SO theatrical! I think there's a video somewhere of this in performance, this and "Honky Tonk Bud". I think...

No matter, Ed Wilkerson puts things together like few others. He should be a household name!

Perhaps parody, but what I hear in this track is the beauty of the singer completely losing control, in perfect, uninhibited expression of the lyrics. And what a gorgeous arrangement. Absolutely theatrical, and I might even be tempted to use the word "EPIC"... although that feels too impersonal, maybe. 

1 hour ago, BillF said:

Track 6: Lockjaw. So is the organist Shirley Scott?

Track 8: Frank Rosolino and Harold Land?

Correct on all counts. Track 8 is neither Rosolino or Land's date, but yes, they are the horn players.

1 hour ago, JSngry said:

Jaws and Jerome Richardson. Cookbook. Yes, Shirley Scott.

Correct!

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21 minutes ago, felser said:

BFT 224

 

1 – “Miles Mode”, certainly sounds like it’s the drummer’s album – he’s an animal, whoever he is.  Spectacular version!  First tenor soloist sounds like he has the Coltrane-era Pharoah Sanders thing down, and second tenor soloist also really good.  Thought at first this must be the Idris Muhammad version, but it’s not.  I need this!

There's a very good reason the first tenor soloist has the Pharoah Sanders thing down. ;) :)  And yes, it is the drummer's date.

2 – This is good stuff.  Another cut without a pianist.  Very facile bass player, with those double stops and all.

I won't give too much away about this one yet, but I'm betting someone will ID it pretty quickly. We'll see. I do love the bass player!

3 – This is amazing!  No guesses.  I need this even more than I need #1!  I will be revisiting this cut often.

Same, this one hits all the right spots for me.

4 – Love the concept, but not so much the execution.  Has to be from the 70’s.  Don’t think it’s Airto and Flora, but whoever it is memorized their records.  I like the trumpet solo.

Definitely 1970s, yes. Not Airto and Flora.

5 – Pretty, though it fades into the background some for me.  I do like it.  Very nice touch on the piano.

This one is a relatively recent discovery for me, but a piano player I was familiar with.

6 – Older, I assume 50’s.  Well done for what it is.  I enjoy this, but not in my wheelhouse.  Lockjaw?

Yes indeed, Lockjaw! ID'd above.

7 – Verve-era Betty Carter?  Fabulous, whatever it is.

Not Betty Carter.

8 – Solid, so good. That is one clean trombone player!  Interesting that there are vibes rather than piano on something that sounds this straight ahead.   I have to think this is sitting on my shelves somewhere, as these are obviously big-time musicians.

Again trying to be careful of what I say this early in the game, I will just say I would call them big-time musicians.

9 – Piano duo, which is generally not a favorite format of mine.   I recognize the song, but the title isn’t coming to mind.

Will be interesting to see who gets this one...

10 – Well done for what it is, but again, I’m generally not a big duet guy.  I like my rhythm sections!

I hear you. I have a feeling these guys might be in your wheelhouse though.

11 –Vocal is lost on me.   Band can play, but not something I would choose to listen to.

The vocal is one of the things I personally love about this one. But there's more as well... :)

12 – This is the Carla Bley type of thing, which is generally (and in this case, specifically) lost on me.  Guitar player especially gets on my nerves.  Worst cut by far on the BFT for me.

I figured this would be a divisive track! :D

13 – The singer ruins the cut for me, to me painfully bad.  Her Broadway credentials would seem to be in order.  The sax solo also doesn’t do much for me.  The composition and orchestration are beautiful (though the lyrics sounded a little loopy once I started paying attention to them).  Looking forward to reveal to see if anyone else has done this song.

Again, to me the singer is what I love about this one. (See comments above). Well, the whole thing I love... to me it represents completely going for it, losing control, giving in to the moment, etc etc. The "painfully bad" stuff is most definitely intentional.

 

 

Thanks for the stimulating BFT!  I liked the earliest cuts best, not sure if that means anything.  Can’t wait for some of the reveals, especially #3, also #1,2,7,8. 

My pleasure! Thanks for listening! Always fun to do these. :)

 

 

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I suppose I'd better get in here before all the glory is gone.  :D 

Track 01 - Easy*.  Can't miss Ari.  With Kahil doing his best impersonation of Elvin.  There's nothing I don't love about this.  And, with due respect to Pharoah (and if you've known me 3 seconds, you know I absolutely LOVE Pharoah), this is absolute ownership.  Pharoah acquits himself well, but Ari just... wow.  Kahil certainly gets it.  And let's not sleep on that bassist from Children of the Corn.  Track 3 from this.

*[inside joke between me and Tim]

Track 02 - The head me thinking Ahmed Abdullah, but that tenor is throwing me.  Sounds like Eric Alexander if somebody pissed him off (in a good way).  Not Ahmed Abdullah.  I'm liking the drums most prominently, but I can hear what you like about the bassist, who sure as hell sounds like Ron Carter at times.  Wait, that's gotta be Tony Williams.  Second listen... Art Farmer?  What?   Okay, sleuthing gets me to the answer, but I"m not posting that because I didn't KNOW it.  That tenor player should take my comment as a HUGE compliment.  Literally never cared for the guy, but this sure as hell works.

Track 03 - Oddly, this track doesn't load into Apple Music for me, but I can play it in preview pane.  Sax has a little Eddie Harris going for it, but the rest of it is like CTI mixed with that odd Trane 4tet recording of Nature Boy.  I like it, but WHAT is going on here!?!?  Now, that's GOT to be Eddie.  Man, this is KILLIN'!  Almost has the vibe of Joe McPhee's Nation Time.  Love this.

Track 04 - I mean, rhodes, that Guilherme Franco percussion vibe... I'm in .  Man, this is bitching my brew.  I mean, has to be Bennie Maupin, doesn't it?  Well, that's Woody Shaw, so I'm probably on point with Guilherme Franco.  Okay, another sleuth job.  Under my radar so I'm not posting the answer, again, because I didn't *know* it.  Not Maupin, but I'm still comfortable with what got me to that guess.

Track 05 - I don't think I know this but it's lovely.  Touches on some Mal Waldron feel at the end, but seems to lack that "thing" he has.

Track 06 - Now, as many times as we've hung, we've never talked about stuff like this.  Obviously Lockjaw.  Ah!  Jerome Richardson for sure, so this is from The Cookbook (one of them).  JR works his butt off here, but man... that's Lockjaw.

Track 07 - Something marchy about those drums.  For sure I've heard this, but don't recall you playing it.  Marchy + loose... Blackwell?  Oh, wait.  No.  It's Air.  Forget the track, but man, when I hear this, I sure hear Fred's influence on you.  Man, Threadgill can write!  Not to mention play.  Really love his gritty tenor sound.  Not an ounce of bullshit anywhere near this music.  This is rapidly turning into one of my favorite BFTs.  

Track 08 - Not sure, but I love everything about it.  Man, that interlude sounds like something else... Jesus this cooks!  Second listen.  Okay, that's definitely Harold Land.  Third listen -- Rosolino, put the ranch on it.  OH!  CHRIST!  Vic Feldman on Vibes!  How dare you, sir!

Track 09 - Okay, lots of piano, so it's gotta be the piano choir (because I'll eat my hat if that's not Cowell doing his Tatum impression).  Man, this must have been something to see.  AND they don't get in one another's way.  Amazing stuff.

Track 10 - I mean, it's Mal.  Or is it.  Could be Ibrahim, too.  Now I'm thinking Embryo, so back to Mal.  Hell, I give up.

Track 11 - That opening vibe reeks of Ari Brown.  Nope.  Now you're just being difficult.  Too commercial to be what I thought it was.  Wait, that sure sounds like David Murray (because it is).  What the hell IS this?  

Track 12 - Well, this escalated quickly. Heavily commercial featuring the unemployment stick.  I mean, I don't hate it, but I could if pushed.  Make that a bari, maybe a little John Surman, and I could be all in.  I just loathe that flashy clarinet.  Wait now, that could certainly be Sonny Sharrock, so I'm coming around.  Yeah, if we can agree to blast the unemployment stick to another planet, I'll get onboard.

Track 13 - Ominous.  Then optimistic.  Then slightly maudlin in a romantic vein.  Okay, we need to pick a focus here.  I'm warming to it to the point I want to like it, but... I just can't quite get to the vocalist.  And the background... there's something that makes it feel like the Oscars' band.  I just can't get to her.  There's something almost Pharoah-ish about that sax player, so I'm thinking it's that Chicago guy that fools me and makes me think he's Pharoah.  I see why you like it, but I just can't get fully onboard on this one -- it's the combination of the vocals and the poppy band behind it all.  I'll never remember the guy's name I'm thinking of, but he was on a BFT within the past year and I didn't know him but you did.  

 

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1 - Reminds me of a Chico Hamilton record with the hollerin' but it ain't him. I've heard this before but can't place it. The drums and bass really drive the hell out of this song and I like it. 

2 - I like the song but for some reason the drumming style seems out of place, maybe a bit antiquated for the composition style? The bass player is on another planet in comparison. On that I'm thinking the drums hold the song's development back a little. Going to be a travesty of a take of the drummer is a Rushmore-esque legend but that's a BFT hot take for you. 

3 - Familiar quote by the sax at the head which leads into a jumbled mess that straightens out quickly. Kind of reminds me of those Tyner 70s compositions but it's not him...there's a bit of a lull at the 3-3.5 minute mark, seems the players are being deferential a bit. The piano player comes in to bring it home but the sax/ensemble could step up a bit more I think...good song though. 

4 - I've heard this one too. From the Black Jazz label maybe? The Awakening? Nah...The electric piano and drums carry the vibe and the entire production. Is that a Bari sax in there? I like it :tup

5 - Nice tune. Solo piano is a nice change of pace. 

6 - Old school. Bass player separate from the B3 means it's got to be Shirley Scott because it ain't McDuff. And if it's Scott, the sax is either Turrentine or Jaws. I'll go with Jaws. Scott, man she is almost ALMOST going off the res with with some of those notes. Keeps it anchored though. Who's the other horn player though?

7 - This is outside of what I typically enjoy because the vocals interfere instead of add to the song. The horn/drums/bass trio plays very well on the other hand. This is something that sounds like it would work better in a live setting rather than this recording. At least to me...I keep thinking about David Lee Roth "I got it made, got it made, got it made...I'm hot for teacher" with the cadence of these vocals. Wouldn't be surprised if DLR lifted it from this song actually. 

8 - James Bond theme song-ish intro. Is it a Shelly Manne date? Breezy composition but cohesively played. If not Manne (or even if it is) is that Tjader on vibes? 

9 - Big wall of attack on this song and I think recording limitations hinder how fully the sound of what they're playing comes through. Previn? Classical elements are there. 

10 - Is this Walt & Sun Ra? Can't be...can it? Has some barrell house or rag time throwback quality to it. But then goes just far enough from that to indicate an influence on more free styles of playing, esp from the pianist. Interesting song. 

11 - Real Latin style in that I don't hear a trap kit - full percussive set being used. Vocals are disappointing. Playing otherwise is not. 

12 - Reminiscent of a Hal Russell style. Not sure it's him but it's right there with some of the NRG material. Most aren't going to dig that electric guitar style. I kind of like the freak out aspect of this one. Short song probably because it has to be. 

13 - Very nice change of pace. Didn't expect vocals actually. Kind of a downer but not a deal breaker. The ensemble backing her works it seamlessly. A bunch of pros, or a pro at the conductor controls. Again, the kind of thing that would work better in a live setting but here the recording doesn't diminish the feel or emotional power. No guesses but this is great. 

Thanks for this one! Really enjoyable and interesting experience.

 

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Day One!!!

TRACK ONE - That harmonic/overblown thing that Pjaroah does...has it been established yet who did it first, him or Trane? Becuase on "Transistion" the cut, Trane sounds like he's already gotten all into it. And that was pre-Pharoah in the band. But no matter - Ritual Trio is my favorite el'Zabar band, bar none. All respect is due to Malachi Favors. Period.

TRACK TWO - Is this a Cindy Blackman Muse side? I like those. But I'll tell you what I don't like is the tenor player, too damn derivative of Joe - and enjoying it. You should never enjoy being derivative. I recognize that tune from an old Ron Carter CTI record, but not this version...and it's not on a Cindy Blackman Muse record. so...that's Tony...and now I realize that this is a record I've never heard, at least not that I remember. Just sorta let it slip on by. Gotta remedy that.

TRACK THREE - A fully collated set of Eddie Harris' Vee-Jay/Exodus records sure would be nice! A LOT of interesting stuff there!

TRACK FOUR - Definitely a contender for earliest entry of a vibra-slap. I want to say Carlos Garnett, but can't with any certainty. Ok, yhat sounds like Sonny Fortune, but otherwise...having a hard time finding any distinctiveness, except, ok, Woody Shaw, but it's just a solo, albeit a good one. Bass clarinet...could be Maupin, but not in that restricted a role. Could be anybody competent. I mean, I like it, but it's not anybody's best work. At least I hope not.

TRACK FIVE - No idea, and a part of me likes it very much, while another part finds it at times a little fluffy/pretty. Hmmm...both things can exist in the same space. So there!

TRACK SIX - Lock, as mentioned above. I am literally ashamed of this, but I still do not own the Cookbook records. Only God knows why, and I'm afraid to ask god, for fear that God will strike me dead for being so vilely ignorant about it. So instead, let's talk about Jerome Richardson here...I think he was pretty new on the scene when he made this date, and geez, to stand tall with a veteran throat-cutter like Lockjaw Davis and just deal is a real tribute to the courage it takes to be a real player. I also wonder why he never hookd up with Basie, whther he was doing alright doing his thing or if the Basie pipeline never admitted hi. Which would be odd, because Quincy Jones seems to have had come control over that pipeline, and Quincy definitely dug Jerome. Does it really matter? :g

TRACK SEVEN - Cassandra Wilson with New Air. Unmistakable. Some of wondered how Steve McCall could be replaced. Well, he couldn't. But you got Pheeroan Aklaff now, so you keep going with that and it will be good. Very good.

TRACK EIGHT - All i know for sure is that there's Harold Land. Works for me!

TRACK NINE - Is this one pianist overdubbed? The tune makes a passing reference to "Let's Face The Music And Dance", but passing is all it is. Pretty serious deep bebop mentality on display here. Very curious as to who it is, I like it.

TRACK TEN - Anth9ny Davis/Jay Hoggard doing "The Clothed Woman"/ Totally delightful! This record - this cut in particular -  made a lot of noise when it was released, all of which seems to have been forgotten 40+ years later. Too bad about that.

TRACK ELEVEN - The American Clave label is due t be collated and re-presented, no?

TRACK TWELVE - I would need to hear this in the context of a full album. As a one-off here, I like it. It sounds a bit "European" and that soprano is kinda silly. BUT is it supposed to, that's what I want to know. But if it's jsut motherfuckers being clever with nothing else in the mix, that gets old pretty quick.

TRACK THIRTEEN - Already let my feelings about this work of genius be known, but...I got this record when it was fairly new, and the MASSIVENESS of it cracked me up and left me awestruck at the same time. It was like Norman Connors/Phyllis Hyman/David Van De Pitte/Donny Hathaway ALL ROLLED INTO ONE AND EXPANDED TO MAXIMUM PLUS SIZE! And all the while keeping that street feel (it's on the same record as "Honk Tonk Bud", right?). I guess maybe having been through all that 70s Techicolor Soul in real time helped me just GET it, because I totally did, and still do. Because our love is holding up the Planet Earth and keeping it from self-destructing, right? Of course! And Light Henry Huff...my god, PLAY THAT!!! He was on thevery  first Ethnic Heritage Ensemble record (as was Edward Wilkerson), the first and still my favorite. These are all SERIOUSLY bad motherfuckers at work here. All of them.

And to give maybe just a bit of what is being lovingly referenced here, here's something from not but a few years earlier. I love it, but it is TOTALLY to be taken at face value.

That's Paul Riser doing the chart, so don't smirk. That shit is RIGHT.

As is this BFT. Thank you!

 

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1.  Max Roach Quartets are my first thought, and would lean toward Odean Pope over Billy Harper.  But it isn't totally obvious that the drummer is Max.  The theme sounds like what Billy was doing with Woody Shaw.  But no trumpet, two tenors, and that would swing it toward Elvin.  Then there are the vocal exhortations, which don't match up to either.  I'm going with Elvin.
2.  A less obviously drummer led track, but my thoughts still run to Chambers, Higgins and Hart.  Joe Chambers?
3.  Nice expressionistic track.  Something about it made me think of Ellery Eskelin, although I required Wikipedia to actually remember his name.
4.  Multiple worldless vocals and electric piano, with funky bass clarinet.  Donald Byrd, early in his fusion phase?
5.  Solo Piano.  Chick Corea?
6.  This makes me think of the album Very Saxy with Arnett Cobb, 3 other tenors and an organ rhythm section.  Could be an organ led date, though.
7.  Maybe New Air with Cassandra Wilson - my other thought was Jazzmeia Horn.
9.  Is this the Piano Choir on Strata-East?
10. Delicious piano-vibes duet. Joe Locke and Frank Kimbrough?
11. Latin big band.  No Idea.
12. Could be British or other European Jazz-Rock unit.  Mike Westbrook?
13. Quite a mix of musical elements and styles.  Karin Krog?

The only thing I know on American Clave is Kip Hanrahan, and that kinda fits 11.

 

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On 11/1/2022 at 1:26 PM, T.D. said:

Thanks, enjoyed listening, all good and no clinkers.

Don't have much in the way of ID or substance to add to the discussion (apart from Jaws in 6 and I should know the players in 8 - Art Farmer comes to mind), so will stay away from the thread for a while to avoid spoilers.

Will be listening more and researching.

Thanks for listening! Glad you enjoyed it. You're of course correct on #6, but on #8 there is no trumpet. I won't say any more than that since you don't want spoilers. :)

 

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On 11/1/2022 at 4:20 PM, tkeith said:

I suppose I'd better get in here before all the glory is gone.  :D 

Track 01 - Easy*.  Can't miss Ari.  With Kahil doing his best impersonation of Elvin.  There's nothing I don't love about this.  And, with due respect to Pharoah (and if you've known me 3 seconds, you know I absolutely LOVE Pharoah), this is absolute ownership.  Pharoah acquits himself well, but Ari just... wow.  Kahil certainly gets it.  And let's not sleep on that bassist from Children of the Corn.  Track 3 from this.

*[inside joke between me and Tim]

Nailed it, as of course you would!

Track 02 - The head me thinking Ahmed Abdullah, but that tenor is throwing me.  Sounds like Eric Alexander if somebody pissed him off (in a good way).  Not Ahmed Abdullah.  I'm liking the drums most prominently, but I can hear what you like about the bassist, who sure as hell sounds like Ron Carter at times.  Wait, that's gotta be Tony Williams.  Second listen... Art Farmer?  What?   Okay, sleuthing gets me to the answer, but I"m not posting that because I didn't KNOW it.  That tenor player should take my comment as a HUGE compliment.  Literally never cared for the guy, but this sure as hell works.

Correct again. This one has been a favorite of mine since I started listening to jazz, and I agree with you about the tenor player!

Track 03 - Oddly, this track doesn't load into Apple Music for me, but I can play it in preview pane.  Sax has a little Eddie Harris going for it, but the rest of it is like CTI mixed with that odd Trane 4tet recording of Nature Boy.  I like it, but WHAT is going on here!?!?  Now, that's GOT to be Eddie.  Man, this is KILLIN'!  Almost has the vibe of Joe McPhee's Nation Time.  Love this.

Yes, Eddie! I too love the vibe of this tune. I've had it only on a compilation for many years and only recently found the actual album it came from.

Track 04 - I mean, rhodes, that Guilherme Franco percussion vibe... I'm in .  Man, this is bitching my brew.  I mean, has to be Bennie Maupin, doesn't it?  Well, that's Woody Shaw, so I'm probably on point with Guilherme Franco.  Okay, another sleuth job.  Under my radar so I'm not posting the answer, again, because I didn't *know* it.  Not Maupin, but I'm still comfortable with what got me to that guess.

I would have guessed Maupin myself, no question.

Track 05 - I don't think I know this but it's lovely.  Touches on some Mal Waldron feel at the end, but seems to lack that "thing" he has.

A recent discovery for me. You know the piano player, though you may not KNOW him, if you know what I mean. And yes, I just used the word know three times in that sentence.

Track 06 - Now, as many times as we've hung, we've never talked about stuff like this.  Obviously Lockjaw.  Ah!  Jerome Richardson for sure, so this is from The Cookbook (one of them).  JR works his butt off here, but man... that's Lockjaw.

Yep!

Track 07 - Something marchy about those drums.  For sure I've heard this, but don't recall you playing it.  Marchy + loose... Blackwell?  Oh, wait.  No.  It's Air.  Forget the track, but man, when I hear this, I sure hear Fred's influence on you.  Man, Threadgill can write!  Not to mention play.  Really love his gritty tenor sound.  Not an ounce of bullshit anywhere near this music.  This is rapidly turning into one of my favorite BFTs.  

That's nice of you to say about Fred's influence! I think this was maybe the 3rd Air album I bought, after the Montreal Jazz Fest album and "Air Mail." Threadgill is still the man!

Track 08 - Not sure, but I love everything about it.  Man, that interlude sounds like something else... Jesus this cooks!  Second listen.  Okay, that's definitely Harold Land.  Third listen -- Rosolino, put the ranch on it.  OH!  CHRIST!  Vic Feldman on Vibes!  How dare you, sir!

I dare!

Track 09 - Okay, lots of piano, so it's gotta be the piano choir (because I'll eat my hat if that's not Cowell doing his Tatum impression).  Man, this must have been something to see.  AND they don't get in one another's way.  Amazing stuff.

It *is* the Piano Choir, but not from either of the Strata-East LPs. In fact I don't think many people realize this recording even exists. Do you know the tune?

Track 10 - I mean, it's Mal.  Or is it.  Could be Ibrahim, too.  Now I'm thinking Embryo, so back to Mal.  Hell, I give up.

None of the above, but someone else has ID'd this below your post, I think (still catching up with posts)...

Track 11 - That opening vibe reeks of Ari Brown.  Nope.  Now you're just being difficult.  Too commercial to be what I thought it was.  Wait, that sure sounds like David Murray (because it is).  What the hell IS this?  

It is definitely David Murray! Jim & Randy have ID'd the artist. This is an all-time favorite record of mine.

Track 12 - Well, this escalated quickly. Heavily commercial featuring the unemployment stick.  I mean, I don't hate it, but I could if pushed.  Make that a bari, maybe a little John Surman, and I could be all in.  I just loathe that flashy clarinet.  Wait now, that could certainly be Sonny Sharrock, so I'm coming around.  Yeah, if we can agree to blast the unemployment stick to another planet, I'll get onboard.

No Sharrock, and I'm not surprised this wasn't a winner for you, due to the unemployment stick especially. :D Commercial, I suppose, but actually this record is pretty out there overall. If it's not obvious, there's definitely a sense of humor at play here (and elsewhere on the album, but most definitely on this track in particular). This is one of the few tracks I don't think anyone has ID'd yet.

Track 13 - Ominous.  Then optimistic.  Then slightly maudlin in a romantic vein.  Okay, we need to pick a focus here.  I'm warming to it to the point I want to like it, but... I just can't quite get to the vocalist.  And the background... there's something that makes it feel like the Oscars' band.  I just can't get to her.  There's something almost Pharoah-ish about that sax player, so I'm thinking it's that Chicago guy that fools me and makes me think he's Pharoah.  I see why you like it, but I just can't get fully onboard on this one -- it's the combination of the vocals and the poppy band behind it all.  I'll never remember the guy's name I'm thinking of, but he was on a BFT within the past year and I didn't know him but you did.  

This has been ID'd, as discussed last night! Definitely a divisive track so far, but for me personally, this one hits very hard.

 

 

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