BFT 261 (December 2025) Discussion Thread

[felser]

Here is BFT 261.  Something for everyone (including @Dan Gould for one cut), and my usual boundary stretching and 60's/70's-centric focus.  Looking forward to reading and responding to your impressions and guesses.  Only one cut that is likely to stump everyone (even @rostasi ).  The person with by far the best chance of getting it is @randyhersom (and that's a clue).

https://thomkeith.net/blindfold-tests/2025-blindfold-tests/ 

 

[felser]

Paging @webbcity to give a listen to cut #4.

[Dan Gould]

Your words of the day:

Offensive/Inoffensive.

That's the best way I can describe a Felser compilation.  Listening to his BFTs over many years now, for me it reinforces the "music of my youth" cliche and today I was wondering, if I were his age, and he mine, would we have the same radical differences of opinion, only from a different angle of opposition?  It has to be recognized that the jazz I like was not in any way the music of my youth, but I did come to the music when neobop was in its ascendancy, and my earliest listening was a mixture of classic swing and bop/hard bop. 

Something I pondered while swinging between degrees of offense.  On to the specifics:

TRACK ONE:

I think you had to be there.  Is there a jazz connection here aside from the sort of scat the vocalist briefly attempts? Inoffensive:  **.

TRACK TWO:

Sunrise, Sunset?  After two minutes I want to say NEXT but I did persevere (work emails helped distract).  Is that Elvin?  Piano is better ... I think because it is much harder to make ugly sounds on the piano (if you stick to, you know, the keys).  Offensive: Zero stars.

TRACK THREE:

Not my style of piano.  Inoffensive:  ** 1/2 

TRACK FOUR:

Really had to be there.  What the hell is he singing about?  Offensive: *

TRACK FIVE:

No notes taken, so  ... Inoffensive:  **

TRACK SIX:

See #4, but final evaluation is Inoffensive:  **

TRACK SEVEN:

Oh hell no. Offensive: Zero stars.

TRACK EIGHT:

Following up one of the worst with the track for me?  Is this a Cedar tune? Hutch? I don't think its his regular partner Mr. Land on tenor. 

Neither offensive nor inoffensive - *** 1/2 (1/2 star removed for the congas which rarely thrill me that much)

TRACK NINE:

When the band came in .... I went out.  Offensive:  Zero stars.

TRACK TEN:

Wait a sec this is obviously the Dan selection.  Doesn't thrill me the way Gene would.  ***

TRACK ELEVEN:

More vocals I have a hard time understanding ... Inoffensive:  **

 

Thanks Mr. Felser and remember, if you were offended by offensive/inoffensive, you always get the last word since my BFT follows yours.  

[felser]

Thanks Dan, I'm a (Philadelphia) Eagles fan, and Jalen and Saquon say we don't do offense anymore, so none taken!  I'm 11 years older than you, which music-industry-wise is a lifetime (Woodstock vs. MTV), with music probably holding a very different meaning to my youth than it did to yours.  My earliest jazz listening (1972, first semester of college) was John Coltrane, Miles Davis, and Blue Note.

tracks #1 and #4 - I was there.

track #2 - the pianist is a favorite of mine.

track #8 - Not Hutch or Land, not  written by Cedar, or Hutch.  But a well known tune (though not in this version).

Thanks as always for your good-natured feedback - I even read it to my wife!  And I'm sure many will breathe a sigh of relief (and some will re-engage in the BFT process) when you're up in January.

[randyhersom]

Pretty sure I missed the one you thought only I would get.
1. Jom Lucien?
2. Billy Harper.
3. 2 pianos? Chick and Herbie? 
4. Murmured vocals.
5. Got to be Santana, Probably the Lotus triple live album.  Similar to Singing Winds, Crying Beasts, the intro to Black Magic Woman
6. Organ, Electric Piano and short vocal - (could be 1, 2 or 3 people) and tasteful drums and bass.  Without much of a clue, I'll say Barbara Dennerlein
7. I like the sound, vibes are in the mix.
8. Not too many organ - vibes combos.  Neither of the last two sounds like Jason Adasiewicz, who I have posted about a couple times.
9. Hannibal Marvin Peterson?
10. Goodbye Porkpie Hat by a piano trio
11. Soulful as hell, and a lovely acoustic piano backing, but possibly not a singer recognized primarily fo jazz.  That's OK, she kills it.

[felser]

40 minutes ago, randyhersom said:

Pretty sure I missed the one you thought only I would get.
1. Jon Lucien?  Not Lucien.
2. Billy Harper.  Not Harper.
3. 2 pianos? Chick and Herbie?  One piano!  Not Chick or Herbie.
4. Murmured vocals.  A trademark of this singer. 
5. Got to be Santana, Probably the Lotus triple live album.  Similar to Singing Winds, Crying Beasts, the intro to Black Magic Woman.  Yes, Santana, not from Lotus.  Go back and listen to Singing Winds, Crying Beasts for further clues🙂
6. Organ, Electric Piano and short vocal - (could be 1, 2 or 3 people) and tasteful drums and bass.  Without much of a clue, I'll say Barbara Dennerlein.  Not Dennerlein, but I get where you're coming from.
7. I like the sound, vibes are in the mix.
8. Not too many organ - vibes combos.  Neither of the last two sounds like Jason Adasiewicz, who I have posted about a couple times.  Neither is Adasiewicz.
9. Hannibal Marvin Peterson?  Yes!
10. Goodbye Porkpie Hat by a piano trio Correct.
11. Soulful as hell, and a lovely acoustic piano backing, but possibly not a singer recognized primarily for jazz.  That's OK, she kills it.  You are correct on every point you made on this one!  Absolutely kills it.  And it's a live, solo performance.  This was the one cut that HAD to be on this BFT, and it had to be either the first or last cut.  The opening to the first cut was too perfect for me to bypass, so I put this one last.

Thanks as always for your participation and insights!   I don't expect you or anyone else to get the cut I called you out for, but you are the one with the best shot.  I'll explain that in clues later in the week.

[JSngry]

TRACK ONE - Terry Callier, Generally not a fan. Charles Stepney helped here, but I just don't (generally) like the ooziness of his singing, such as here. Plus those lyrics are just a tad too clever for me.

TRACK TWO - David Murray with the Bob Thiele Collective. For me, this record ends up as less than the sum of its parts, especially this cut. The gimmick of doing another MFT is just too clever by half. The rest of the record isn't bad, but....

TRACK THREE - Hmm...ostinato-ish. Good hands, definitely. The tune sounds familiar.,,something I might have really gotten into a few decades ago and maybe did? Even with that, still sounds ok today, maybe just not as much. But still good enough.

TRACK FOUR - That's just silly.

TRACK FIVE - Santana, obviously. I'll listen to this once a decade or so. It's good, but not exactly "Timeless, at least not on its own. That iteration of the band, left music better than they found it, I'll thank them for that and then move on.

TRACK SIX - Yuck. What was wrong with Wes? For what demographic was this intended? Nothing here for me, I:'m afraid. It doesn't trance (if it did I would like it), it just takes up space and babbles on.

TRACK SEVEN - It's sincere. But not much else, sadly. Cliches abound, and not much else. "Spiritual", I suppose, for whatever that is worth.

TRACK EIGHT - Johnny Lytle doing "Little Sunflower. This tune is a drag to play because of the damn recurring samba B-section. But Johnny Lytle will ring true, always. And hey, that's Houston Person! Good cut!

TRACK NINE - Sounds like Hannibal, whom I have liked a lot. I hear cello, so Diedre Murray, right? Fine band, good energy. Another horn might have been nice. His time goes a little weird when the bass drops out, but oh well. The energy hasn't particularly aged, which is hardly common with this type "all-in" type stuff. When a player has chops to match the energy, they're playing a winning game as far as that goes. I hear  his tempo getting wonky again once the band comes back in, but he gets a handle on it an pulls it back together. On the whole, a winner!

TRACK TEN - Straight and to the point, maybe a bit long. Overall, though, excellent.

TRACK ELEVEN - A Donny Hathaway classic. I much prefer the original, this one sounds a bit "performative", as they like to say these days, a lot of meeting expectations of pre-defined "soulfulness". But it could have been a lot worse, very happy that it's not. Still, give me Donny every day.

Happy Holidays!

Oh, Roger Maris as a Cardinal. Niche, Tom, niche!

[felser]

33 minutes ago, JSngry said:

TRACK ONE - Terry Callier, Generally not a fan. Charles Stepney helped here, but I just don't (generally) like the ooziness of his singing, such as here. Plus those lyrics are just a tad too clever for me.  I'm a big Callier fan (and a big Stepney fan) and love the lyrics on this one!  To each his own.

TRACK TWO - David Murray with the Bob Thiele Collective. For me, this record ends up as less than the sum of its parts, especially this cut. The gimmick of doing another MFT is just too clever by half. The rest of the record isn't bad, but....  All those records ended up being less than the sum of their parts.  But I actually like this cut quite a bit, and that pianist could do no wrong in my eyes (and ears).

TRACK THREE - Hmm...ostinato-ish. Good hands, definitely. The tune sounds familiar.,,something I might have really gotten into a few decades ago and maybe did? Even with that, still sounds ok today, maybe just not as much. But still good enough.  

TRACK FOUR - That's just silly.   But amazing bass playing!

TRACK FIVE - Santana, obviously. I'll listen to this once a decade or so. It's good, but not exactly "Timeless, at least not on its own. That iteration of the band, left music better than they found it, I'll thank them for that and then move on.  I stick around and revisit often.  And the live reunion a decade ago was stunning, if short-lived and inconsistent.

TRACK SIX - Yuck. What was wrong with Wes? For what demographic was this intended? Nothing here for me, I:'m afraid. It doesn't trance (if it did I would like it), it just takes up space and babbles on.  I listen to it frequently in the kitchen,  it trances for me.

TRACK SEVEN - It's sincere. But not much else, sadly. Cliches abound, and not much else. "Spiritual", I suppose, for whatever that is worth.  I suspect they'll gladly settle for sincere.

TRACK EIGHT - Johnny Lytle doing "Little Sunflower. This tune is a drag to play because of the damn recurring samba B-section. But Johnny Lytle will ring true, always. And hey, that's Houston Person! Good cut!  Thanks!  Yes, Lytle and Person on a pretty unique version.

TRACK NINE - Sounds like Hannibal, whom I have liked a lot. I hear cello, so Diedre Murray, right? Fine band, good energy. Another horn might have been nice. His time goes a little weird when the bass drops out, but oh well. The energy hasn't particularly aged, which is hardly common with this type "all-in" type stuff. When a player has chops to match the energy, they're playing a winning game as far as that goes. I hear  his tempo getting wonky again once the band comes back in, but he gets a handle on it and pulls it back together. On the whole, a winner!    Yes on Hannibal and Murray.  I thrill to the energy in and of itself.   Being more of a rock guy than you, and not being a musician like you are, I hear things differently than you.  Your insights on the timing are enlightening, and I will need to go back and listen for what you point out.

TRACK TEN - Straight and to the point, maybe a bit long. Overall, though, excellent.  Yes, thanks.  Don't think anyone can not like this one.  Even @Dan Gould had lukewarm praise for it and #8.

TRACK ELEVEN - A Donny Hathaway classic. I much prefer the original, this one sounds a bit "performative", as they like to say these days, a lot of meeting expectations of pre-defined "soulfulness". But it could have been a lot worse, very happy that it's not. Still, give me Donny every day.  I hear you, but this particular performance had a very specific context.

Happy Holidays!  And Happy Holidays to you and yours!  Thanks for your always fascinating and enlightening thoughts!

Oh, Roger Maris as a Cardinal. Niche, Tom, niche!  Could have shown him as a Athletic or an Indian also!  

 

Edited Tuesday at 01:13 AM by felser

[T.D.]

Really enjoying this BFT so far, though I don't connect with a couple of things. I usually post in bits and pieces b/c I tend to mess up long posts and have them vanish into hyperspace. 🥴

I peeked at the thread, so won't drop names of things that have been ID'd.

Love #2, the pianist is also a big favorite of mine. Wasn't familiar with this recording. Saxist plays more notes than I generally prefer, but the package works.

Of course #5 is Santana. I never heard this tune, or maybe I did once but forgot. Always enjoy his music when I hear it, though I have to admit I no longer own any recordings.

#6 has gotta be Brian Auger? At least I think so. I don't have any of his live recordings but the tune is very familiar. I may have a studio version (which I enjoy) on the shelves somewhere. Have to do some detective work.

Looking forward to hearing more of the BFT.

[felser]

1 minute ago, T.D. said:

Really enjoying this BFT so far, though I don't connect with a couple of things. I usually post in bits and pieces b/c I tend to mess up long posts and have them vanish into hyperspace. 🥴I'm glad somebody is enjoying it 😂

I peeked at the thread, so won't drop names of things that have been ID'd.

Love #2, the pianist is also a big favorite of mine. Wasn't familiar with this recording. Saxist plays more notes than I generally prefer, but the package works.  Yep.

Of course #5 is Santana. I never heard this tune, or maybe I did once but forgot. Always enjoy his music when I hear it, though I have to admit I no longer own any recordings.  Yes.

#6 has gotta be Brian Auger? At least I think so. I don't have any of his live recordings but the tune is very familiar. I may have a studio version (which I enjoy) on the shelves somewhere. Have to do some detective work.  Yes, Auger.  There are a couple of studio versions and a couple more live versions of his on record/disc.

Looking forward to hearing more of the BFT.  I'm also looking forward to you hearing more of it!

 

[Dub Modal]

1 - Sick production. Sounds lovely. Great singing and playing. Nothing to dislike here. My dad was a shag DJ (shag being the music they call "northern soul" elsewhere in the world) and this is right in line with what they call "beach music" around these parts. You could probably hear this in Myrtle Beach during SOS weekend. No names here though but I'm familiar some with this singer. Name escapes me at the moment. 

2 - Sax player has a tinge of Pharaoh Sanders but it's not him. Or maybe it is? The accompanying instrumentation just doesn't bring Sanders to my mind. And the sax seems to be played faster than Sanders would. 

3 - 6: No guesses for any of these. Great playing on all songs. 5 & 6 are the most enjoyable of this group, although the vocals on 6 are iffy to my ears. The Rhodes and guitar on 5 are excellent. 

7 - Like this song. Drumming and percussion work and the rest of the band are good. No idea unfortunately. 

8 - Another great tune. Vibes are well played. The groove is excellent. Seems like this would be a Hutcherson track? 

9 - Fantastic. Tolliver? Wasn't going to guess him until the trumpet started. 

10 - Familiar song and one I enjoy. Unfortunately I have no guesses in mind. 

11 - Good vibe, enjoyable. Singing is good. 

Seemed like lots of piano in the foreground on this BFT. Not a bad thing! Enjoyed it. Thanks for putting it together 🍻

 

[felser]

1 hour ago, Dub Modal said:

1 - Sick production. Sounds lovely. Great singing and playing. Nothing to dislike here. My dad was a shag DJ (shag being the music they call "northern soul" elsewhere in the world) and this is right in line with what they call "beach music" around these parts. You could probably hear this in Myrtle Beach during SOS weekend. No names here though but I'm familiar some with this singer. Name escapes me at the moment.   I'd love to talk to your dad!  Yes, this artist and especially this cut by him are apparently considered Northern Soul legends.   Northern Soul is a form I have always been incredibly into, and the CD era was especially kind to it.

2 - Sax player has a tinge of Pharaoh Sanders but it's not him. Or maybe it is? The accompanying instrumentation just doesn't bring Sanders to my mind. And the sax seems to be played faster than Sanders would.   Not Sanders.  But the pianist here played with Sanders.

3 - 6: No guesses for any of these. Great playing on all songs. 5 & 6 are the most enjoyable of this group, although the vocals on 6 are iffy to my ears. The Rhodes and guitar on 5 are excellent.   Glad you think highly of these.  I actually like the vocals on 6, though I realize they are an acquired taste and a case of nepotism.

7 - Like this song. Drumming and percussion work and the rest of the band are good. No idea unfortunately.   

8 - Another great tune. Vibes are well played. The groove is excellent. Seems like this would be a Hutcherson track?  Not Hutcherson, though you aren't first to guess him.

9 - Fantastic. Tolliver? Wasn't going to guess him until the trumpet started.  Not Tolliver.

10 - Familiar song and one I enjoy. Unfortunately I have no guesses in mind.   

11 - Good vibe, enjoyable. Singing is good.  

Seemed like lots of piano in the foreground on this BFT. Not a bad thing! Enjoyed it. Thanks for putting it together 🍻Thanks for listening and responding, glad you found some things to enjoy!

 

 

By the way, I notice that @Dan Gould only ranked four of my 11 cuts as offensive, so I guess I'll take that as a moral victory😒.

[Dan Gould]

5 hours ago, felser said:

 

By the way, I notice that @Dan Gould only ranked four of my 11 cuts as offensive, so I guess I'll take that as a moral victory😒.

Remember I was catching up on work email after a long break (plus a gusher of requests from those emerging from their extended coma). Distraction always help lighten the burden.  Like when I am dealing with work but have my tunes on in the background.  

I might have figured out "Little Sunflower" eventually ... I associate with Cedar because I think he played it quite a bit.  A tad ashamed not to recognize or have any inkling of Houston Person on there.

[randyhersom]

Speaking of northern soul, I loved EMusic's rereleases of the two Nolan Porter albums with gobs and gobs of bonus tracks.  I see that his wife Candy Zappa wrote a bio in 2021.

[felser]

10 minutes ago, randyhersom said:

Speaking of northern soul, I loved EMusic's rereleases of the two Nolan Porter albums with gobs and gobs of bonus tracks.  I see that his wife Candy Zappa wrote a bio in 2021.

Not familiar with him, will need to check it out, thanks!

[T.D.]

#6 is this cut.

I have a studio version of this on the Straight Ahead album. As Jim noted, it's a Wes tune.

[felser]

18 minutes ago, T.D. said:

#6 is this cut.

I have a studio version of this on the Straight Ahead album. As Jim noted, it's a Wes tune.

Correct!

[Joe]

Would it be fair to say the theme of this BFT is bass and voices? Enjoyed the listen. Some blow-by-blow below.

Track 1

That’s the kind of treble I associate with the era when AM radio still played pop music. Which is to say that I enjoy the time capsule nature of this. I don’t know the vocalist (who I won’t presume is also the songwriter…. but are they? … I mean, the singing is almost a dramatic recital. This singer is wanting to make sure that the meaning of these lyrics really comes across). I was maybe expecting the vibrato less than I was the near-scat. Will be interested to learn the answer to the singer-songwriter question.

Track 2

Sounds like a late 80s or early 90s production, and the tenor is pretty reminiscent of David Murray. Hmmm, so the theme is one thing, but the solos are going to play out over the major mode from Trane’s “My Favorite Things”? Now that the tenor is soloing, I’m 99.9% sure its Murray, but this is not from a record I remember (or recognize). Could it be one of those Red baron dates?  I’m not sure the high register stuff has aged that well. But when Murray dips into the gutbucket… solid. The drummer is the hero of this track. What he’s ding is evocative of Elvin without being an imitation of Elvin. Will be curious to learn who it is. Andrew Cyrille? Definitely a part of many Murray ensembles over the years. Would not surprise me!

Track 3

I like riding this harmonic escalator! The strength of both hands makes me wonder if this is Jaki Byard, but I think not. Many moods here. Stanley Cowell perhaps? There’s some church music in that left hand to be sure, and some Afrocentrism, but both have been sort of abstracted. The rhapsodism (did I just make that word up?) comes from another tradition, at least partly. I’m guess I’m saying there’s some fascinating straddling in this performance, but it still feels very 70s to me. Oh, an overtly bluesy lick around the 6:15 mark. Good - very good - stuff.

Track 4

Not Nick Drake, but the bass player has probably listened to Danny Thompson. Oh… this is John Martyn, isn’t it? I’m not sure why I’ve never gotten into him the way I have Jansch, Renbourn, Drake, and that generation of English troubadours, as Martyn is most overtly “jazzy” of them all. I guess his singing requires some taste acquiring. But this track reminds me that I should give him another try. So, heck, that very likely is Danny Thompson on bass. Oh, so they are going outside here at end? Interesting. (Yeah, and Martyn just said, “Oh yes, Daniel!”)

Track 5

Spacey. Guitar tone screams (in a good way) Carlos Santana. As does the groove, when it comes in. Rhodes or Wurlitzer? Its the “Riders on the Storm” electric piano sound in my mind. Is this from CARAVANSERAI? Or maybe WELCOME? I suppose this could be Santana guesting on someone else’s record, but a stronger hunch tells me this is from the Tom Coster era of his band. Either way, I’m not familiar with the tune. No complaints, even if I don’t find it all that exciting. I think I like the keyboard progression on the fadeout best.

Track 6

Ah, and now the fuzzy electric piano. And B-3? OK, how many keyboard players are there on this track? I feel like its meant to smolder, but its dragging a bit for me. The dynamics also feel more “rock” to me than not. I’m not saying this is full-on Keith Emerson, but there’s some prog here. Ah, now that the vocal has arrived: I’m guessing this is Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger. Nice B-3 solo, but that synth string sound - which I’m not opposed to on principle - is diluting my enjoyment of the rest of ther performance. Auger is a fine colorist on the B-3. No Shirley Scott, no, but no slouch either. Can’t really knock the musicianship, though.

Track 7

Khan Jamal on vibes? The tune sounds kind of Jamal-esque (thinking here of DARK WARRIOR on Steeplechase). This feels very “indie” and also very much like a group of local guys splashing around in their pond. The drummer is just a little too straight for me. I’d like to hear what the horn players do with a different set of collaborators.

Track 8

A very different vibes player. The presence of organ - even though they’re mostly playing accents - makes me think this might be Johnny Lytle, but I’m not really a big Lytle listener. Whoever it is has their own sound on the instrument. This is not Bags, or Dickerson, or Hutcherson. Kind of “cloudy”, if that makes any sense. Tight groove! And then tenor sax kind of out of nowhere. Guitar player is giving off some strong Melvin Sparks vibes, especially with the fast picked stuff. What era is this? It’s kind of tmeless, I’d venture.

Track 9

“Soul Brother (Dedicated to Malcolm X)” by Marvin Hannibal Peterson, whose tone is just marvelous here. Have loved this tune since I first heard it on Andew Cyrille’s MY FRIEND LOUIS (DIW) - a rather more sedate version that this, the original. Fire. And Michael Carvin has a lot to do with that. Why don’t I listen to more Michael Carvin? (Not to neglect what Stafford James is doing here, with playing that’s both droning and propulsive.) 

Track 10

A very soulful version of “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” This pianist really digs in, . I mean, it feels like they’re really probing and going deep, trying to overcome their ownpet phrases, to get to the emotional center of the tune. The drummer isn’t far behind. I mentioned Jaki Byard earlier… this sounds more like Jaki than not, and it wold make sense, given Jaki’s association with Mingus. But I don’t think Jaki would play some of the more stock-like phrases this pianist falls back on here and there. Really like what’s happening around the 4:20 mark. And between  7:15 and 7:40, too. Could this be Horace Parlan? With Dannie Richmond? I just saw an interview with Dannie from the 70s where he talks about how he spent much of that decade playing what he identified as rock and roll. And he said he enjoyed it because that music required him to play more of his kit than the jazz he had been playing did. I’ll have to see if I can find the clip. But I can hear a drummer playing all of his drums here.

Track 11

Alicia Keys adapting Donny Hathaway’s “Someday We’ll All Be Free.” Covering Donny Hathaway is not for the faint of heart. Alicia does not embarrass herself… but a llittle bit less at the end would have come to more. But she’s young; she’ll figure it out. Also, scaling the arrangement back to just voice and piano…. the song loses a little bit of its ambivalence / ambiguity, or, better, its emotional complexity. But, again, I think she’ll figure it out, as she makes her fair share of good choices here.

[felser]

2 hours ago, Joe said:

Would it be fair to say the theme of this BFT is bass and voices?  Not intentionally, but fair enough.  The first and last songs just sort of summarize where my head is at right now - I do that on my BFT's some years.

Enjoyed the listen. Thanks!  My BFT's aren't universally appreciated, but they represent my listening and likes and sometimes my state of mind.

 Some blow-by-blow below.

Track 1

That’s the kind of treble I associate with the era when AM radio still played pop music. Which is to say that I enjoy the time capsule nature of this. I don’t know the vocalist (who I won’t presume is also the songwriter…. but are they? … I mean, the singing is almost a dramatic recital. This singer is wanting to make sure that the meaning of these lyrics really comes across). I was maybe expecting the vibrato less than I was the near-scat. Will be interested to learn the answer to the singer-songwriter question. 

Yes, the singer wrote the song, and almost all of his recorded material.  This is the single mix of the track, which also appeared on an album.  Neither sold well at the time, both are revered in Northern Soul circles now.

Track 2

Sounds like a late 80s or early 90s production, and the tenor is pretty reminiscent of David Murray. Hmmm, so the theme is one thing, but the solos are going to play out over the major mode from Trane’s “My Favorite Things”? Now that the tenor is soloing, I’m 99.9% sure its Murray, but this is not from a record I remember (or recognize). Could it be one of those Red baron dates?  I’m not sure the high register stuff has aged that well. But when Murray dips into the gutbucket… solid. The drummer is the hero of this track. What he’s ding is evocative of Elvin without being an imitation of Elvin. Will be curious to learn who it is. Andrew Cyrille? Definitely a part of many Murray ensembles over the years. Would not surprise me!

Correct on Murray, Red Baron, and Cyrllle - well done!

Track 3

I like riding this harmonic escalator! The strength of both hands makes me wonder if this is Jaki Byard, but I think not. Many moods here. Stanley Cowell perhaps? There’s some church music in that left hand to be sure, and some Afrocentrism, but both have been sort of abstracted. The rhapsodism (did I just make that word up?) comes from another tradition, at least partly. I’m guess I’m saying there’s some fascinating straddling in this performance, but it still feels very 70s to me. Oh, an overtly bluesy lick around the 6:15 mark. Good - very good - stuff.

Correct on Cowell and 70's.  The whole album this comes from is fabulous.

Track 4

Not Nick Drake, but the bass player has probably listened to Danny Thompson. Oh… this is John Martyn, isn’t it? I’m not sure why I’ve never gotten into him the way I have Jansch, Renbourn, Drake, and that generation of English troubadours, as Martyn is most overtly “jazzy” of them all. I guess his singing requires some taste acquiring. But this track reminds me that I should give him another try. So, heck, that very likely is Danny Thompson on bass. Oh, so they are going outside here at end? Interesting. (Yeah, and Martyn just said, “Oh yes, Daniel!”)

Correct on Martyn and Thompson.  You're really good at this 🙂  Martyn is more idiosyncratic than the others you name, and to me less consistent, but with higher highs.  I'm a huge solo Jansch fan, and Pentangle (Jansch,Renbourn) fan.  I'm also really big on Richard Thompson, from the same neighborhood.  Drake works for me, just not on the level of the others. 

Track 5

Spacey. Guitar tone screams (in a good way) Carlos Santana. As does the groove, when it comes in. Rhodes or Wurlitzer? Its the “Riders on the Storm” electric piano sound in my mind. Is this from CARAVANSERAI? Or maybe WELCOME? I suppose this could be Santana guesting on someone else’s record, but a stronger hunch tells me this is from the Tom Coster era of his band. Either way, I’m not familiar with the tune. No complaints, even if I don’t find it all that exciting. I think I like the keyboard progression on the fadeout best.

Santana, but not from the Coster era or either of the albums you mention (BTW, 'Caravanserai' is my favorite album, period.).  This cut actually predates "Riders on the Storm".

Track 6

Ah, and now the fuzzy electric piano. And B-3? OK, how many keyboard players are there on this track? I feel like its meant to smolder, but its dragging a bit for me. The dynamics also feel more “rock” to me than not. I’m not saying this is full-on Keith Emerson, but there’s some prog here. Ah, now that the vocal has arrived: I’m guessing this is Julie Driscoll and Brian Auger. Nice B-3 solo, but that synth string sound - which I’m not opposed to on principle - is diluting my enjoyment of the rest of their performance. Auger is a fine colorist on the B-3. No Shirley Scott, no, but no slouch either. Can’t really knock the musicianship, though.

Correct on Auger, not on Driscoll.  BTW, one keyboard player and this is a live track, previously ID'd.  Auger always did straddle the line between jazz and prog, and is a favorite of mine.  BTW, I think the bass playing on this is outstanding.  The vocalist and drummer are interesting names.

Track 7

Khan Jamal on vibes? The tune sounds kind of Jamal-esque (thinking here of DARK WARRIOR on Steeplechase). This feels very “indie” and also very much like a group of local guys splashing around in their pond. The drummer is just a little too straight for me. I’d like to hear what the horn players do with a different set of collaborators.

Not Jamal, but you are correct on it being very indie and a bunch of local guys (here in Philly, hence me singling out Randy as the only one who might ID this) who have been at this for decades.  Still out there, and I saw them live a couple years ago, though this cut dates back to the 80's.

Track 8

A very different vibes player. The presence of organ - even though they’re mostly playing accents - makes me think this might be Johnny Lytle, but I’m not really a big Lytle listener. Whoever it is has their own sound on the instrument. This is not Bags, or Dickerson, or Hutcherson. Kind of “cloudy”, if that makes any sense. Tight groove! And then tenor sax kind of out of nowhere. Guitar player is giving off some strong Melvin Sparks vibes, especially with the fast picked stuff. What era is this? It’s kind of tmeless, I’d venture.

Correct on Lytle and Sparks, and the tenor player is previously ID'd.  The organ player is not a well-known name, and not someone otherwise on my radar.

Track 9

“Soul Brother (Dedicated to Malcolm X)” by Marvin Hannibal Peterson, whose tone is just marvelous here. Have loved this tune since I first heard it on Andew Cyrille’s MY FRIEND LOUIS (DIW) - a rather more sedate version that this, the original. Fire. And Michael Carvin has a lot to do with that. Why don’t I listen to more Michael Carvin? (Not to neglect what Stafford James is doing here, with playing that’s both droning and propulsive.) 

Correct on all counts and observations!

Track 10

A very soulful version of “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat.” This pianist really digs in, . I mean, it feels like they’re really probing and going deep, trying to overcome their own pet phrases, to get to the emotional center of the tune. The drummer isn’t far behind. I mentioned Jaki Byard earlier… this sounds more like Jaki than not, and it wold make sense, given Jaki’s association with Mingus. But I don’t think Jaki would play some of the more stock-like phrases this pianist falls back on here and there. Really like what’s happening around the 4:20 mark. And between  7:15 and 7:40, too. Could this be Horace Parlan? With Dannie Richmond? I just saw an interview with Dannie from the 70s where he talks about how he spent much of that decade playing what he identified as rock and roll. And he said he enjoyed it because that music required him to play more of his kit than the jazz he had been playing did. I’ll have to see if I can find the clip. But I can hear a drummer playing all of his drums here.

Yes, Parlan with Richmond, done soon after Richmond's stint with Mark-Almond.  Enlightening observations, thanks!  Parlan, of course, also played with Mingus, including on the original version of this, on the great 'Mingus Ah Um'.

Track 11

Alicia Keys adapting Donny Hathaway’s “Someday We’ll All Be Free.” Covering Donny Hathaway is not for the faint of heart. Alicia does not embarrass herself… but a llittle bit less at the end would have come to more. But she’s young; she’ll figure it out. Also, scaling the arrangement back to just voice and piano…. the song loses a little bit of its ambivalence / ambiguity, or, better, its emotional complexity. But, again, I think she’ll figure it out, as she makes her fair share of good choices here.

Correct on Keys.  She was VERY young here, 20.  And this was from a specific context which had its own emotionaly complexity, to say the least, and she would have been trying to consciously avoid ambivalence / ambiguity.

Thanks so much for your great insights and amazing ear!

Edited 16 hours ago by felser

[Joe]

6 hours ago, felser said:

Thanks so much for your great insights and amazing ear!

Thanks for assembling this! I'm most surprised that I IDed Cowell and Parlan. I have likely listened and filed away the former record many times, but the latter is one I don't know. Time to rectify!

[Dan Gould]

I just want to say as a regular compiler that while participation is down, we are fortunate to have @JSngry @tkeith @Joe and @webbcity as regular participants as their ears are a serious cut above.

[felser]

1 hour ago, Dan Gould said:

I just want to say as a regular compiler that while participation is down, we are fortunate to have @JSngry @tkeith @Joe and @webbcity as regular participants as their ears are a serious cut above.

+1

[randyhersom]

5 is the opening track of Abraxas

Philly old timer vibists not named Khan or Walt ... Bill Lewis came to mind first, then Bill Ware.  Bill Ware fits better.

[felser]

21 minutes ago, randyhersom said:

5 is the opening track of Abraxas

Philly old timer vibists not named Khan or Walt ... Bill Lewis came to mind first, then Bill Ware.  Bill Ware fits better.

Re: vibist - It's Bill Lewis, but not his album.  Nonetheless, gold star for even knowing those names - I don't!

Correct on #5, Abraxas.

 

[T.D.]

2 hours ago, felser said:

Re: vibist - It's Bill Lewis, but not his album.  Nonetheless, gold star for even knowing those names - I don't!

Correct on #5, Abraxas.

 

Dang, I recognized Santana but not Abraxas, which is one of the albums I'm most familiar with.

I saw Bill Ware play live in fall of 2024. I got the impression he's currently NY based. Didn't know about the Philly background.