There used to be an old recipe for generating prosperous and cultured communities: build a college and wait fifty years.
Well, I never heard it as anything but a collaborative and spontaneous improvisation with Crump getting top billing, despite what you might read into my comments. It would be understandable to think I may have seen this as a Kris Davis led ensemble, but what does that matter? I don't think they hit it. It's hard to criticize improvised music for what it doesn't have, or any music for that matter. Because it is what it is and not something else. So I won't do that. Just to say that I don't think any of the musicians are doing much of interest to me here, and what they've done elsewhere doesn't bear on it. It did grab me, but in a hilarious way. I was interested as to why everyone else is so excited about it, so I paid very close attention to it.
This is the version of Silver World (Ginkai) that I have. The CD labeling is confusing because the obi strip and CD show the UCCJ-9205 catalogue number from 2015, while the spine and booklet show the UCCJ-4070 number from a 2009 reissue, and the front cover shows the FX-8509 number from the original 1971 album, but if the obi says "I Remember Poo" (in memorial to Masabumi Kikuchi, who died that year), that's the one. My favorite Japanese jazz album. Beautiful, haunting, and I've heard nothing else quite like it.
Johnny Griffin & Eddie "Lockjaw" Davis/ OW! Live at the Penthouse Live on Seattle radio in 1962, with Horace Parlan, Buddy Catlett, and Art Taylor. If Bird had lived through the '60s, I imagine that he would've sounded a lot like this.
Another listen to this superb album... FREE SPIRITS | MARY LOU WILLIAMS TRIO (SteepleChase) CD Bass – Buster Williams / Drums – Mickey Roker / Piano – Mary Lou Williams 12 track album, recorded 1975. Tracks 2, 7, 10, 11 & 12 are not on the LP edition. * Concerning SteepleChase - apart from this great album, and all of those wonderful Chet Baker titles (thank you Tribute) I would love to know if there are any other SteepleChase releases worthy of investigation/purchasing.
This an essential album on Steeplechase. It is excellent, of course for Kenny Drew on piano. But even more than that it clearly demonstrates the unique brilliance of NHOP as a bass soloist. The CD edition adds one bonus track
Duo #2 is also an essential Steeplechase album The CD edition adds two bonus tracks, tracks #6 & #7. Steeplechase CDs often added important bonus tracks never on LP.
Steeplechase was one of the very best jazz specialty labels created after 1970. Nearly every title is very worthwhile. Many of the artists on Steeplechase were American jazz musicians that had relocated to Europe. Among those with a good number of titles on the label were Kenny Drew, Duke Jordan, Chet Baker, Dexter Gordon and others. I would not fuss so much over what edition to buy. Just get the least expensive copy in decent condition. Do not pass by the CD editions just for vinyl, as you will miss the important bonus tracks that were added to nearly every Steeplechase CD. The CD masterings were just fine. Check out the list: SteepleChase
Jackie McLean. There is this awesome compilation on double cd: Jackie McLean & Dexter Gordon – Montmartre Summit 1973 (1991, CD) Montmartre Summit 1973 - Jackie McLean | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic
Andrew Hill's Divine Revelation is certainly worth tracking down. And recently I have been enjoying the Dexter Gordon box set The Complete Trio & Quartet Studio Recordings 1974 1975 1976. The only disadvantage of this box is that different takes of the same track often immediate follow each other. If you don't like that, the individual Gordon releases might be worth tracking down. (There's a lot of great NHOP and quite a bit of enjoyable Kenny Drew playing on those Dexter dates as well)
Was playing Night Lights, with the Gerry Mulligan Sextet including the estimable Art Farmer. Now playing the Gerry Mulligan Quartet’s What Is There To Say?, with Mulligan, Art Farmer, Bill Crow and Dave Bailey. I like the group photo on the back cover: Art Farmer and Gerry Mulligan made a great team.
Thinking of Kenny Drew KENNY DREW — THE 20TH MEMORIAL - 1978-1992 15 CD Boxset / Compilation · 2013 [After Beat/Pony Canyon (Japan)] CDs PCCY-30204 - Kenny's Music Still Live On: The Days of Wine and Roses (1978-1992) {50:40} PCCY-30205 - Kenny's Music Still Live On: Les Parapluies de Cherbourg (1978-1992) {49:06} PCCY-30206 - Kenny's Music Still Live On: Misty (1978-1992) {50:02} PCCY-30207 - Kenny's Music Still Live On: Take the 'A' Train (1978-1992) {46:20} PCCY-30208 - Kenny's Music Still Live On: Lullaby of Birdland (1978-1992) {49:21} PCCY-30209 - Kenny's Music Still Live On: Smoke Gets in Your Eyes (1978-1992) {50:54} PCCY-30210 - Kenny's Music Still Live On: Live in Tokyo (1991) {59:34} PCCY-30211 - Piano Night (1992) {57:29} PCCY-30212 - Nature Beauty (1978-1980) {54:08} PCCY-30213 - Live for Peace (1990) {67:05} PCCY-30214 - A Child Is Born (1978) {44:46} PCCY-30215 - Hush-A-Bye (1978) {41:27} PCCY-30216 - Sophisticated Lady (1981) {41:32} PCCY-30217 - Portrait: Oboe Concerto (1982-1991) {47:10} PCCY-30218 - Season's Greetings (1988-1989) {37:23} From Web Reviews: A collection of previously unreleased materials by the Kenny Drew Trio, originally recorded for Japanese labels Baystate and Alpha beween 1972 and 1992, now released to commemmorate the 20th anniversary of his passing. A rich trove of superb piano trio performances! American pianist Kenny Drew (1928-1993) moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1964. Although he may have somewhat faded from the radar of American jazz fans, he had a fantastic career in Denmark and was beloved by European and Japanese jazz fans. In the late 1970s and 1980s, Drew's popularity in Japan grew to incredible heights when he began recording for Japanese labels such as Baystate and Alpha under a partnership with Japanese producer Makoto Kimata. To commemmorate the 20th anniversary of Drew's passing, a very special series was launched in Japan in 2013, with a release of previously unpublished materials recorded for the two labels between 1972 and 1992. They are alternate takes and takes that did not make onto the original albums released in this period. Danish super-bassist Niels-Henning Orsted Pedersen held the bass chair throughout, and the drummer is either Ed Thigpen, a fellow American expat who had settled in Copenhagen, or Alvin Queen. It is quite amazing to hear the consistently high quality of these "outtakes" and to realize that there is enough material to fill 15 CDs in this series. Actually, many these "outtakes" tend to be more exciting than those takes that made the original albums. They may have been "cut" because they were slightly rough around the edges, but perhaps they were played with more freedom, abandon, and adventurous spirit. They are alternate takes and takes that did not make onto the original albums released in this period.
Still on my Art Farmer kick. Was playing Work Of Art, recorded on the New Jazz label with two different Septets recorded a year apart in 1953 and 1954. Now playing Art Farmer & Eddie Costa Together, with Costa on piano and vibes, Phil Woods on alto, Teddy Kotick on bass and Paul Motian on drums. Costa was such an interesting piano player. I was going to play the Art Farmer / Bill Evans collaboration Modern Art next, to finish this Farmer-fest. But found that I had sold it - now whatever made me do that ??!?
Another big winner of a recent haul, part of the new "Black Jazz" label. Just a smashing record, sound and music beginning to end....
I got the Mosaic set years ago after reading some rather positive reviews, but it never did much for me, so I sold it.
The Skipper and The Skipper at Home are two of the top highlights of the Black Jazz catalogue. Pity that Henry Franklin didn't have the opportunity to record for major labels, although Wikipedia indicates that he's formed his own label (Skipper) and even has a new album out this year. Here's a 1974 Hampton Hawes concert with Henry Franklin on bass, Mike Carvin on drums.
