NP: Donald Harrison / Terrence Blanchard - Black Pearl (Columbia US LP 1988) First listen to this sax - trumpet duo as part of a sextet during the 'young lions' 80s era. Also, just added to Qobuz queue the entire Best of List that was posted earlier (minus the handful not on the service) and am feeling overwhelmed by the quantity of new jazz to hear. Wow. Some were on my radar, but many were not. https://bestofjazz.org/best-of-jazz-year-2022/
Yes. It appears he changed the neck pickup in 1978. I think the change was more just to get less "noise" form the pickups, the single-coil can have more noise in the signal than a humbucker. Here is an interesting bit of info from wikipedia: According to bassist Don Thompson, the solid-body guitar was key to shaping Bickert's aesthetic, particularly as an accompanist: "The Telecaster was his instrument, and I don’t think he could have done it on another guitar. It had a lot to do with that sound. It was so dark, giving the illusion the chords were way bigger than they were. It was that sustain, and he was so in tune that set him apart." Journalist Mark Miller wrote that Bickert's chords "pulsed with a soft glow,"[10], and guitarist Lorne Lofsky said "The sound he got out of his guitar was very different. The first time I heard the Pure Desmond album, I thought that it was an electric piano playing the chords." Though Bickert's Telecaster tone was praised by musicians and fans, Bickert himself was not always fond of it. He told Guitar Player magazine in 1978: "There are also things about the Telecaster that I really don’t like at all. The body shape of the thing is kind of strange. I don’t care about aesthetics–I wouldn’t care what any of these things look like–it’s just the way it feels; the balance isn’t right. Tone is another thing, because the sound I’m getting is a compromise. The sound I like is the sound George Benson or Jim Hall gets. The sound I’m trying to get out of the Telecaster never quite comes off. It seems that in order to get rid of the ringy quality of the Tele you have to cut off the highs to the point where it gets muddy.” Despite these reservations, however, Bickert recorded almost exclusively using the Telecaster during the final three decades of his career, including on all of the albums for which he was leader or co-leader.
Bass – Rufus Reid Drums – Akira Tana Guitar – Ted Dunbar Piano – Rob Schneiderman Trombone – J.J. Johnson
Awesome intel Lon! NP: Eric Dolphy - The Quest (Prestige stereo 1972, rec. 1961) Here's a Dolphy LP I had been looking for fruitlessly in an affordable AAA stereo edition, and found this reissue with its late 60s font, but excellent sound. Not 'van gelder' stamped like the 1969 press, but glad to get to hear Ervin, Waldron and team.
I recently picked up the '80s OJC of that one (under Waldron's name with original artwork). Such a great record.
And much cooler cover. That OJC has become quite collectible. NP: Great Guitars - Charlie Byrd / Barney Kessel / Herb Ellis (Concord US LP 1975) Three guitarists that definitely warrant 'great' status, beautifully recorded live by Phil Edwards.
Monday morning Miles in the queue! Miles Davis - The Prestige 10-Inch Lp Collection - 5 x 10" (Volume Two) Prestige - RSD 2015 Limited to 2000 Copies 1. Miles Davis All Star Sextet 2. Miles Davis Quintet 3. Miles Davis With Sonny Rollins 4. Miles Davis All Stars, Vol. 1 5. Miles Davis All Stars, Vol. 2
Seen together in the frontline of Art Blakey's Jazz in Genoa forty years ago (July 1982). There was Bill Pierce on tenor sax in that frontline as well.
I'm going through the entire box. Lacy has been gone for 18 years already which is hard to believe. But he left behind a huge body of recordings.
On the Italian state TV half century ago. One of my first approaches to jazz. It wasn't still a planned listening, but I feel a pleasant experience hearing this music.
THE SURVIVORS' SUITE | KEITH JARRETT (ECM) CD Double Bass – Charlie Haden / Drums, Percussion – Paul Motian Piano, Soprano Saxophone, Recorder, Celesta, Drums [Osi] – Keith Jarrett Tenor Saxophone, Percussion – Dewey Redman Recorded April 1976 Tonstudio Bauer, Ludwigsburg. "...there are passages which I regard as almost unlistenable. But those noisy, free-jazz sections serve only to accentuate the total beauty of the quiet pieces which follow them." - Amazon reviewer One of Keith Jarrett's most unique recordings.
A superb mural that considered the building in its design, using the window to draw attention to Coltrane's eyes. The edge design was clever. You do not often see that in murals.
NP Art Farmer - Sing Me Softly Of The Blues (Atlantic) Blue/Green stereo label. Steve Kuhn, Steve Swallow and Pete LaRoca complete the quartet.
NP Dexter Gordon - Gettin’ Around (Blue Note) Music Matters 33.3 Always nice to have Hutch along for the ride.
He made one of Nina Simone as well (I believe you like her), fifteen in total in NC with more to come.
For those who may be interested, VMP is issuing a Cadet box. However, only three of the eight records are jazz, although it does include one blues album from Muddy Waters.