Im really enjoying this talk about McLean. I think one of his career highlights has to be this lp which is a desert island disc for me. full disclosure, i am obsessed with G Moncur III and this is my favourite of his and i would nominate it as a high point of jazz in the 60s period but combine that with it having not much fame beyond jazz nerd circles and thats a a shame. I wish Moncur got the songwriting dues he really deserves. At a time when avant garde jazz was moving into a virtuosity meets free expression period ( I absolutely love that too so please dont nail me there) here was a guy who wrote songs that were minimalist with the notes selected carefully but thoughtfully. To take one song, When McLean comes in on the title track flat ? ( @Tim1954 I love your posts on this topic and I may be wrong here) the off kilter notes are sooooo perfect like a person staggering under the load of life. With Moncurs minimalist soundscape its the perfect expression of dispair to my ears. Perfect really. It caught your attention! Moncur and McLean are so sympatico about the songs sparse downtempo energy. It’s heartbreaking in its ( to me personally) lack of hope. If any are finding the notes difficult I find imagining the human at the heart of the song brings the notes into logical harmony. Every year I appreciate more and more the magic of these two ... ( the rest of the band is brilliant too but Thats another chapter)
Jackie's Bag, love that album, especially "Fidel", Sonny' playing on that tune, locked in on Jones drum beat and yet timing over and around them, declaring the melody and then around it. And the glissandi to emphasis the beat, killer! And the tune itself, so catchy and bouncy, great stuff!
I listened to a couple of Miles Davis records over the weekend and it had occurred to me that his Blue Note sides haven’t gotten any real vinyl reissues (MMJ or AP.) Perhaps the tapes are too old to use, if they have them at all, but I would not mind these as Tone Poets if at all possible.
Can’t see it. Those 10” sides? From what I gather they were a major investment of time. Not sure how they even did them as Classic talked about painstakingly assembling them at EMI from original source materials. They may have had to use metal parts.
Man, you are no fun at all. What a buzz kill. Anyway, I knew that there had to be a reason neither MMJ nor AP had not done something with those recordings. Even a Blue Note would have done a box set of 10” vinyl by now I would think. In any event Blue Note has plenty of other sessions to keep us and our wallets occupied.
Yeah, sorry, but I just can’t see it for the TP series. But what do I know.... hope I’m wrong! Blue Note did lots of 10” reissues in 2014. I can’t imagine those are in the pipeline again anytime soon but you never know.....
Complementary sessions — recorded back-to-back towards the end of 1963, with the same line-up . . . 1964/2014 Music Matters Ltd. – MMBST-84154, Blue Note – BST-84154 Blue Note The Definitive Vinyl Reissue Series – KPG&RR@CA 1963/1999/2020 Blue Note – ST-21437 Blue Note Tone Poet Series – KPG@CA
Is anyone familiar with the sound quality of the 10 inch Blue Note reissues of Miles and Monk? Were they digitally sourced? Thanks.
I think there were some RSD releases at least, and I want to say either AP or MMJ did some way back when...
Took a break for a bit from here, so need to catch up. Got my three 9/25 Tone Poets ordered this morning from my local shop and all for $25.99 per, so not bad at all and I get to support local. My actual copy of That's Where It's At arrived at my local store on 8/31, could the supplier make their mind up when to finally release it...I told the owner to put it out and see if it sells as I won't be there until he gets the next round of Tone Poets in, thanks to the 15% off AS sale...but with that said, the Turrentine is recommended indeed!
ah man. just had an email from Amazon saying The Kicker is going to be delayed...again. zero estimated date provided, either bummer
Indulged in the 20% offer and ordered.. Further Explorations My Point Of View Nigeria The Kicker £26 saved. Roll on September 25th
Anybody get the new Turrentine TP yet? I ordered mine from Target in the Spring and it's currently "Preparing to Ship: scheduled to arrive Sept. 3rd."
This new batch is just wonderful! “Its Time!” Has always been one of my absolute favorite Blue Note records. My only complaint is I have never been able to really 100% digest what Mclean and Tolliver are doing because I am always so focused on Herbie's BRILLIANT playing on this one. This is some of the best comping I have ever heard. The things he plays behind this band are just amazing and to me, really turns the session into an all timer.
