Wednesday 31 December 2008

Freddie Hubbard

What i like about Freddie is how his music and his playing constantly changed. He was one of the first trumpet players that applied rhythmic cycles on his horn. He would do things like take 4 or 5 notes out of a chord and take those notes and keep this rhythmic phrase going over and over on those notes. ( i think trane was probably the first horn player to actually do this ) It's not a line, it's a rhythmic sequence. Freddie started doing that and it really opened up a lot of stuff. Sometimes he would be playing and then he would stop and he would leave a space for the whole band to punch in. You could see him breathing, thinking. You could see him almost playing the correct note and then he would play the correct note. He does that a lot.

Bobby Hutcherson


Knucklebean can be found in the comments

Tuesday 30 December 2008

Walt Dickerson Trio : Serendipity 1976




Walt Dickerson
Serendipity. Recorded live at the Player's Palace, Philadelphia.
Steeplechase Records, 11th August 1976.

Picked up this gem for peanuts a couple of months ago, and what a find.
Awesome stuff from '76, with Walt playing with Rudy McDaniels on Bass, and Edgar Bateman on Drums.

The atmosphere on this recording appears close, tight and compact.
A great example of what this blog is all about.

Taken from the liner notes by Chris Sheridan;

This is not easy, avuncular music. These are living, breathing creations, pulsating with everyday emotion: tranquility rubs shoulders with excitement: violence with wit: melancholy with joy. The forces that motor this music sometimes disquise the easy grip Walt has both on the vibraharp's tradition and it's future. This in turn, may suggest that Walt's work is "difficult", but, be not dismayed, it passes the ultimate test, in that it yealds up more of itself with every successive replying.


Side one
1: My Prayer
2: Magnificent Glimps


Side two
3: Serendipity
4: This way, Please


Saturday 27 December 2008

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers

Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers
3 Blind Mice, vol 2.

More good stuff courtesy of jazzme
Highly recommended quality jazz from the old school.

It's Only a Paper Moon
Mosiac
Ping Pong
The Promised Land
Arabia

Thursday 25 December 2008

The Warm Voice of Billy "C"


The Warm Voice of Billy "C".
Where have you been Billy Boy. Strata East SES 7610.

Recorded at Minot Sound Studios. 1976.

Finally sat down and recorded this one fo Ish and Arkadin recently. To be perfectly honest, i've been putting it off ever since i'd first listened to it. I wouldn't go as far as to say the album has grown on me, but you cannot deny the quality of the musicians supporting Mr Campbell.

Stanley Cowell, Bill Lee and the core members of the Brass Company were always going to provide superb arrangements for Billy to lay (or should that be, swamp) his deep baritone over the top of each title. Maybe that's the problem. Billy rarely steps back and allows an instrumental solo from any of the very capable musicians present. What you're left with is "Billy Campbell sings Standards" in a very standard way. Which for me is a shame.

When you look back at the Strata East catalogue, it is easy to find many examples of where a little imagination and freedom has changed fairly standard/gospel outings, into breath-taking and haunting albums. The Decendants of Mike and Phoebe being a prime example.

1 : Where have you been Billy Boy
2 : Just a Gigolo
3 : Thank heaven for little Girls
4 : Both sides Now
5 : A fellow needs a Girl
6 : True
7 : Beware my heart

8 : Now or Never
9 : Love has gone Away
10 : We'll remember those Years
11 : Drink to me only with Thine Eyes
12 : No Carol




Sunday 21 December 2008

Khaliq Al-Rouf and Salaam




The Elephant Trot Dance.
Nilva Records.
NQ3404.

Recorded at Minot Studios, White Plains, NY 18th June 1975.
(Tracks 1 and 5)

Recorded at Platinum Factory, Brooklyn, NY 8th March 1979.
(Tracks 2, 3 and 4)

1 : The Elephant Trot Dance
2 : Sweet Eve
3 : Sunset in Venus
4 : Malcolm, the Call
5 : Libra

Saturday 20 December 2008

Bill Dixon : 1981


Bill Dixon : 1981.
With Alan Silva, Mario Pavone and Laurence Cook.
Another example of Igor's great taste and supreme generosity.
This one was loitering around in the comments, and that's just not good enough!
Highly recommended as ever.

Monday 15 December 2008

Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land live!


Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land.
Recorded live in Hamburg, Germany 1969/1970.

Been saving the best till last, with this Dynamite set from Bobby Hutcherson.
Four tracks from 2 different dates. Infomation for these is a little hard to come by, with the pianists changing from Hal Galper on the '69 set, to Stanley Cowell on the 1970 set.

Oleo 11:58
Four 10:39
Recorded 5th May 1969.

Same Shame/Blow up 36:00
Oleo 7:17
Recorded 19th August 1970.

The recording is not as polished as the previous Hutcherson posts, and for me, all the better for it. Needless to say, all 4 tracks are incredible, but you need to hear Same Shame. 36 Minutes of of pure jazz heaven.

Forgot to mention, the excellent artwork is by that man Greg again.

Stone Cold, Solid Gold!

Thursday 11 December 2008

Bobby Timmons

The Bobby Timmons Trio.
In Person.

Recorded live at Village Vanguard, NYC. 1st October 1961. Riverside RLP 391
Bobby Timmons,
Ron Carter,
Albert Tootie Heath.

Stone cold classic album from Bobby Timmons.
Far to good to be skulking in the comments. Sent over by Jazzman.

Many thanks


Wednesday 10 December 2008

Luther Lane


Luther Lane.
Other Places. Varese Sarabande International, vp81029.
Recorded at the Organic Audio Studios, Los Angeles. Autumn 1977.
A massive thanks goes out to Arkadin for coming up trumps this time.
Just having my first listen to this rarity right now, and it's all good!
Jedediah
Gorilla my Dreams
Amber Autumn
Just the other Day
Bologna Lady
Heaven : Earth : Man
Great stuff, highly recommended.


Tuesday 9 December 2008

Gina Breedlove



Gina Breedlove. Free to be Me.

I had this beautiful tune on a dusty tape and never knew who it was.
Thanks to Cuki, that mystery is has been solved.

Many thanks Cuki.

Monday 8 December 2008

Can i get some help ...


As you can clearly see, i need help . . . .
I've uploaded a couple of tracks i recorded off the radio way back in my younger days.
Poor TDK90 cassette quality, but there's some cool stuff on there.

There's a Nancy Wilson one on there, a nice digital copy would be cool.
There's a nice ballad dropped by 4Hero when they stood in for Gilles Peterson.
Can you put a name to it ?

Some soul number i know nothing about, and a nice version of So tired by Bobby Timmons that i've never found.
There's also Francisco Mora miss leading everybody about his latest release! (bacoso)

Finally, there's a top version of "People make the world go Round", for El Goog.

Sunday 7 December 2008

Bill Barron live. Part 2



The second instalment of bill barron live posts courtesy of Igor.
The inclusion of Cecil McBee should make for more great music.

Thank again Igor

Saturday 6 December 2008

Bill Barron live. Part 1


Bill Barron : Live at Cobi's.
Recorded 24th October 1987 - 4th March 1988.

Another generous contribution from Igor.
Nothing to taxing here, just beautiful straight ahead jazz. I happened to be in just the right mood for this set tonight.

Recommended.

Wow !








Sabu Martinez. Burned Sugar 1973
Incredible new release. Can't stop playing this at the moment.
Be kind to your ears and invest ...


Thursday 4 December 2008

Sabu :- Aurora Borealis


Sabu Martinez
Recorded 14th/15th November 1971. Co-op Label

In light of Bacoso's recommendations over at Orgy in Rhythm.
Here's a small sample of what Sabu was producing around that time.

Good excuse to post another killer cover as well.
Many thanks Greg for the replacement Hucherson artwork.

tasty

Friday 28 November 2008

Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land live. Blow Up. Antibes 1969



Bobby Hutcheron and Harold Land.
Recorded Live at Juan Le Pin, Antibes, 25th July 1969.

What can i say, more stunning music from this incredible Quintet.

This one's been contributed by Greg, the beer swillin' jazz-guru behind Sounds at the Edge of the Universe and the now closed, Black Classical. I'm guessing this cover came from the man himself.

There is another version out there. For me, this one wins hands down.
Many Thanks

Thursday 27 November 2008

Johnny Dyani


"...Witchdoctor's Son contains the most infectious, buoyant, gleeful music...the interaction between Pukwana and Tchicai's vastly differing phrase sensibilities is one of the joys of this recording..."

ARTISTSJohnny Dyani (bass) Mohamed Al Jabry (congas) Alfredo Nascimento (guitar) Dudu Pukwana (alto sax) Chuim de Sequeira (drums) John Tchicai (tenor sax, alto sax)

TRACKS1. Heart With Minor's Face2. Ntyilo Ntyilo3. Radebe4. Mbizo5. Eyomzi6. Magwanza7. Radebe8. Heart With Minor's Face9. Ntyilo Ntyilo

Another highly recommended offering from IGOR.
Many thanks


Wednesday 26 November 2008

Bailey Sabu Brotzmann.


Bailey Sabu Brotzmann.
Live in Okayama. Recorded 16th November 1987.
Another awesome contribution, this time from Jazzme.
We are transported to the other end, the far end, of the jazz-scale.
Highly recommended.
This review snagged from One Final Note;
Released in an extremely restricted pressing on Kouichi Oishima's Improvised Company imprint (a label designed incidentally with the primary purpose of issuing unreleased Peter Brötzmann recordings—how's that for an admirable mission?) this disc is a rare collectible from square one. The reality that the music contained on its silvery surface is of such high quality almost seems like a bonus. Two pieces preface the highly anticipated main event meeting between the three: a full-tilt duo explosion between Sabu and Brötzmann and a maddening solo conflagration by Bailey.The first piece is in much the same vein as it's predecessor captured on Improvised Company's first release, a paint-peeling, rafter-splintering blowout that finds Herr Brötzmann exploding out of the starting gate with Sabu's incendiary traps licking at his boot heels. A percussive flood envelops the saxophonist carrying him along on a crashing rhythmic wall of fire, his own horn scorching a charred path out front. This is ecstatic free jazz at its most relentlessly volatile, the monochromatic nature of the recording contributing to the coarsely militant discord. Nine minutes into the maelstrom, the German drops out and Sabu bangs out a bombastic rush of clatter tinged by unexpected Blakeyesque press rolls. Brötzmann's keening tarogato surfaces, wailing an Eastern line over Sabu's volatile cadences before the duo locks briefly into an oddly syncopated groove. Eventually the energy reverts back to ecstatic release as Brötzmann lets fly with a flood of overblown yawps.Throughout his solo piece Bailey strangely recalls John Fahey with weirdly strummed, almost chordal progressions speckling his improvisations. High on his frets sometimes creating almost harpsichord-like sonorities from his sparsely amplified strings. He also makes judicious use of his patented volume pedal effects, stretching tones and chopping them short in equal measure with an alien logic even the most erudite of improvisers would be hard pressed to fathom. Toward the middle of the piece he seems to alter his proximity to the recording equipment and his sound flattens, but these lapses are usually only momentary.Echinous slabs of dissonance from Bailey lacerate the boiling phalanx of Sabu's cymbal vortex. Brötzmann unsheathes his horn and commences hacking with constricted high register saxophone howls. The three collide in a raging liquid cacophony and are dragged kicking and screaming by gravity's rainbow down a bottomless funnel of dissonant sound. Later the velocity subsides and the dynamics of the trio open up as Brötzmann moves once again to tartly rendered tarogato. Considering the high-volume sound expenditures and the primitive nature of the recording configuration the three voices retain a remarkable degree of independence and clarity.
New link added to comments via jazzme.

Tuesday 25 November 2008

Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land live. Stockholm 1969



Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land.
Recorded live at Stockholm, Sweden. 28th July 1969.


Another helping of truly beautiful music from a very special line up.
These guys are all playing at the top of their game once again.

Many thanks Greg, for the superb artwork.





Wednesday 19 November 2008

Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land live. Antibes 1969


Bobby Hutcherson and Harold Land.
Recorded live at the Jaun les Pins Jazz Festival, Antibes, 26th July 1969.

Same Shame
Spiral
The Peacemaker

Not just rare, impossible to find!
Another top notch Cover design from Greg
Thanks as ever.

Sunday 16 November 2008

Bobby Hutcherson & The Super Four




Bobby Hutcherson & the Super Four.
Nice Groove.


Baystate. Recorded 11th/12th December 1983 Studio 44, Monster, Holland.
Produced 1991.


Very rare Japanese issue.

Contains the content of the Album "Four Seasons"



Friday 14 November 2008

Noah Howard


Noah Howard
Patterns and Message to South Africa.

This one's far to good to be languishing in a comments box.
Another fine example of great taste from igor.

Highly recommended

Wednesday 12 November 2008

Gary Marks : Gathering 1973


Gary Marks
3 tracks from this highly recommended album.
Difficult to pigeon hole this one. There's some folk, jazz and a touch of soul.
Check out the vibes player on "We Free" David Samuels.
Awesome stuff.
Definitely worth a couple of listens.

Monday 10 November 2008

Kalaparush : Dream of - - - -



Kalaparush : Dream of - - - -

Recorded at the Spirit Room, Rossie, New York, 2nd/3rd June 1998


A first for Private Press.
Reed player "Kalaparush" Maurice McIntyre, another alumnus of Muhal Richard Abrams' Experimental Band, added an intense spiritual fervor to the abstract paradigms of Chicago's creative music (basically transporting the intuition of Albert Ayler and John Coltrane into a different context). He also straddled the line between rhythm'n'blues and free jazz in a spontaneous way that had few equals. Humility in the Light of the Creator (february 1969), featuring Leo Smith on trumpet, John Stubblefield on woodwinds, Malachi Favors on bass, Amina Claudine Meyers on piano and George Hines' wordless vocals, contained the five-movement suite Ensemble Love and the 19-minute Ensemble Fate. McIntyre formed Light (Fred Hopkins on bass, Sarnie Garrett on electric guitar, Wesley Tyus on drums, Rita Omolokun on vocals) and recorded Forces and Feelings (november 1970). He then relocated to New York and began teaching at the "Creative Music Studio" that vibraphonist Karl Berger had opened in Woodstock in 1972. One of the least prolific of all creative musicians, McIntyre took a decade to find the inspiration for Peace and Blessings (june 1979), basically a duet between Longineu Parsons (on trumpet, flugelhorn, flute, sopranino, soprano and alto) and McIntyre (on tenor, flute, clarinet, bass clarinet and percussion) plus a bassist and a drummer. The live Ram's Run (march 1981) featured a quartet with McIntyre on tenor, Julius Hemphill on alto, Malachi Thompson on trumpet and a drummer. After Dream Of (june 1998), in a trio with drummer Pheeroan Aklaff and bassist Michael Logan, McIntyre settled for a trio with a tuba player and a drummer on South Eastern (november 2001), the live The Moment (november 2001) and Morning Song (august 2003). Paths Of Glory (march 2004) added a bassist to the sax-drums-tuba trio.


John Coltrane : Transition


John Coltrane : Transition
Impulse. Recorded at the Rudy van Gelder Studios, Englewood, June 1965.
One of my all time favourites

Saturday 8 November 2008

Webster Lewis in Norway 1971


Webster Lewis in Norway the Club7 live Tapes
featuring the post-pop, space rock, be-bop, gospell tabernacle chorus and orchestra BABY!

Do you Believe is the killer!

Roy Brooks and the Artistic Truth


Roy Brooks and the Artistic Truth
Live at the Town Hall. Recorded 26th May 1974, New York City.
This is an amazing album

Kalaparusha


Kwanza
Kalaparusha. Recorded 9th May 1977
Kalaparusha, Malachi Thompson, John Betsch, Juma Sultan
What an incredible album.

Thursday 6 November 2008

Pharoah Sanders


Pharoah Sanders.
Izipho Zam, Strata East SES-19732. Recorded 14th January 1969.

Balance, is a stormer ....

Andrew Hill


Andrew Hill
Judgment. Blue Note 1964
Bobby Hutcherson, Richard Davis, Elvin Jones.
Siete Ocho.

Joe Henderson


Joe Henderson.
Multiple, Milestone. Recorded January 1973
Tress-Cun-Deo-La

Robert Glasper


Robert Glasper
Canvas. Blue Note 2005.

No where near out of print, but still a highly recommended album.
Not sure about the title, however you need to hear,

Jelly's da Beener

Wednesday 5 November 2008

Max Roach


Max Roach's - Freedom Now Suite.
Recorded in New York 31st August and 6th September 1960.

Freedom day.

Tuesday 4 November 2008

Wornell Jones



Wornell Jones.
Fantasy Label 1979.

Time for a one-off soul special.
Just the one killer soul track for when it's time to dim the lights down low.

Must have been Love

Joshua Redman Quartet



Joshua Redman Quartet. 1994

Moodswing.


Just one track from this highly recommended album.

The track is called Obession.

Sunday 2 November 2008

Dick Durham



Dick Durham. OP's Waltz.
Private Pressing.
Recorded at Sound ideas Studios, New York, 10th September 1973
Dick Durham, Richard Davis, Hank Huncharoff.
OP's Waltz
Here's that Rainy Day
Rock Scherzo
The World's Weirdest Ragtime Player
Happiness Bossa-Nova
Oh, That old Riff
Summertime
We'll be together Again

Wednesday 29 October 2008

Two Katonahs


Steve Grossman

One version taken from the album Terra Firma 1977 and is killer.
First heard this at Orgy in Rhythm.

The other one is lifted from his album Perspective 1979.
Two years on and i'm not so sure about this version.
You decide ...

Tuesday 28 October 2008

Steve Grossman 1975


Steve Grossman
with the Irio De Paula Trio. Horo, Italy. June 1975
Jazz a Confronto vol 23

Piazza Di Spagna
Maracana
La Scala Dei Turchi
Moondance
So Brasa
Libra Rising


Wednesday 22 October 2008

Innerzone Orchestra


Innerzone Orchestra

Bug in the Bass Bin.

Recorded 1996, Planet E.
Featuring Francisco Mora and Rodney Whittiker.

Stunning music from the "catlett"
Essential

Horace Tapscott


Horace Tapscott The Call Nimbus 246
Recorded 8th April 1978, Los Angeles, California

Side One
The Call
Quagmire Manor at Five A.M

Side Two
Nakatini Suite
Peyote Suite No.III

A chance to say a big thank you to Greg

Sunday 19 October 2008

Milton Marsh



Milton Marsh : Monism
Strata East SES19758.

Title track recorded 3rd July 1973
All other tracks recorded 23rd May 1974 at Media Sound, New York.

Side One
Vonda's Tune (part 1 of "Earth, home of the Mortals")
Community Music
Monism

Side Two
Metamorphosis
Ode to Nzinga
Sabotage, 3 preparations

An incredible album from Milton Marsh on Strata East.
Essential

Saturday 11 October 2008

Horace Tapscott


Horace Tapscott Live at Lobero 2
Nimbus 1258
Recorded November 12, 1981. Lobero Theater, Santa Barbara, California.

Horace Tapscott, Roberto Miranda, Sonship Theus

Lino's Pad
Close to Freedom
St Michael

This one's really special. Lino's Pad is the killer.

Wednesday 8 October 2008

Richard Davis. Fancy Free



Fancy Free
Galaxy Recorded at Fantasy Studios, Berkeley. June 30 - July 1, 1977


Big Richard Davis fan, and this one's highly recommended.

Richard Davis, Eddie Henderson, Joe Henderson, Stanley Cowell, Billy Cobham, Dolly Hirota.

Arranged and conducted by Bill Lee.


The Wine of May
Silver's Serenade
Emily
Nardis
I Still love you, Baby
Fancy Free

Saturday 4 October 2008

Richard Davis


Harvest
Muse MR 5115 Recorded at Ci Recording
NYC May 3 & 16 1977

Bill Lee, Marvin Hannibal Peterson, Ted Dunbar, Consuela More, Freddie Waits, James Spaulding

Killer line up . . . .

Side a

Forest Flower
This Masquerade
Half Pass
Three Flowers

Side b

Windflower
Passion Flower
A Third Away
Take the A Train
Forest Flower (reprise)