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Here's a rather simplistic analysis: This new BN Connoisseur release is ok, and that's about it. I'm a big Mobley fan, but this session doesn't seem to have much that's all that memorable. Woody Shaw is nice and fiery and that's the highlight. Mobley's blowing is good, but not, in my opinion, up to some of his best work and his horn is recorded with a bit more reverb than usual, with a bite more akin to Jackie McLean's sound. There is an obscure guitarist, Eddie Diehl, who is given very little room and is obscure, perhaps, for good reason. Cedar Walton's piano sounds like it is stuffed with cotton balls. Mickey Bass and Leroy Williams play bass and drums, respectively (not familiar with either of them). Mobley's compositions (and one by Mickey Bass) are, with the possible exception of the somewhat ambitious first cut (a suite), uninspired. AllMusic gave this one 5 stars so maybe I've got cotton balls stuffed in MY ears. Anyway, Borders made off with another $16.99 that should have stayed in my wallet.
Follow Ups:
Except for one tune, I think most of the compositions are par late hard bop.There are 2 disappointments. 1 is mild. The 3rd part of Mobley's suite, after a very promising middle section, dissolves into shabby Vegas lounge muzak.
That's nothing compared to that quasi-Motown wannabe, "Talk About Gittin' It". Jeez, what a waste. There are boogaloos, and then there is simple crap. This one is plain old poor soul music, circa 1966, except that they released it in 1970 and black music had moved on (way, way on - guess they never heard of Curtis Mayfield or Sly Stone). Sure, it's got some jazz in it, but that's just an ill fitting section tacked onto it. WHen I hear this thing, it makes me sad that Mobley and his producer where so awfully out of touch, and that they recorded this hideous thing anyway.
...we actually agree 100% on this one. In fact, I felt badly this morning as I was driving to my office listening to Thinking of Home, because I had gone public with a pan on this cd, and really it's pretty good with the gross exception of the last cut. Your description of it is right on: "hideous", "ill fitting", "there are boogaloos and then there is simple crap". This kind of jazz, poorly adapted to soul music or even basic rock, is forever associated im my mind with schlocky Hollywood soundtracks to teenage dance scenes in the '60s, with groovy white boys and girls performing "the latest" dance moves. The cut, "Talk About Gittin' It" just about ruins the cd for me. But the first four tracks are stronger than I initially thought, and even Eddie Diehl's guitar work is pretty good.
I'd take it off your hands.
Can shoot you a list of what I got.
If you'd like, I'll burn it for you. Swapping, though, is a good idea. I've probably got 50+ jazz cds that I really don't care to listen to anymore, and maybe you do, too. I'm in the US (Pennsylvania). Regards, Mike
Thanks for the offer. Call it idiosyncrasy, but I just can't listen to the cd-burns.:))Unless they're bootlegs of Sun Ra unreleased concert tapes or something like that.
Do you have your list typed-up?
I'll muster up mine and send you an email, neighbor. I'm in Brooklyn.
...I don't like burned copies either, and also, I really like having the liner notes and artwork and session players and track listings, even if it's all been reduced to fit inside the cd jewel box. You've given me a great incentive to clean up all the cds I leave all over the place. I'll try to get to it this weekend, and then send you a list of what I've got. This could be fun! Regards, Mike
Tend to agree, although it seems much better when compared to "Redd's Blues" from the same series that I bought at the same time. (See my earlier "Redd Alert!!!" post.) I guess that's called "damned by faint praise". By the way I also purchased Jackie McLean's "Jacknife", which, although somewhat prone to stridency, is the best of the three. But that's not saying much and there are far better choices from all of these musicians.Perish the thought, but I'm beginning to think that Blue Note (Owned by industry giant Capitol, of course) is simply trying to "capitolize" (Sorry!) on its reputation by releasing any old crap lying around in the vaults, some of which had been enjoying well deserved obscurity. And it's working, because I just dropped 50 bucks on these 3 less than stellar items!
A pretty strong session, I think. Surely not in the "old crap" territory.
I know I typed up a response yesterday, but for some reason it doesn't seem to have gotten posted.I wouldn't necessarily put "Jacknife" in the "old crap" category; my remark was more a general one than specific to that release.
But having said that, I would suggest that there are far superior things McLean did about the same time, primarily "The Connection", on which Freddie Redd was the composer/leader, but where Jackie did what I think is his greatest recorded work. There is also "Let Freedom Ring", another superlative job. By comparison, to my ears "Jacknife" sounds rough around the edges, especially in ensembles, and at times as though they couldn't wait to get through it.
I think it is important to remember that many Blue Note dates were essentially somewhat better organized jam sessions with musicians who had not often-if ever-played together with results that were not always sterling. "Jacknife" strikes me as one of those that simply didn't quite jell, in spite of the occasional decent solo.
The recording isn't helped much by the sound quality either, but it's hard to tell how much of that was an off day from RVG or a botch by Ron McMaster. This is a common dilemma on many of these older reissued (on CD) Blue Notes, which I've found to be quite variable sonically.
I don't want to repeat what the others have said; just a couple of things.--... I would suggest that there are far superior things McLean did about the same time, primarily "The Connection", on which Freddie Redd was the composer/leader, but where Jackie did what I think is his greatest recorded work.
It does seem like a short time span chronologically, but I'd say it's a huge leap for McLean musically.1960 Connection and McLean's playing on the Grachan Moncur's 1963 Evolution are in different galaxies all-together. Same goes for Destiantion Out, etc.
Not to bring yet another player into equation, but Oscar Peterson played the same things in 1960 as he did in 1980, whereas McLean was an explorer who didn't want to stagnate. Not the best comparison, but you know what I mean.--I think it is important to remember that many Blue Note dates were essentially somewhat better organized jam sessions with musicians who had not often-if ever-played together with results that were not always sterling.
I'd have to disagree. Most of the BN musicians were "house musicians" that played with each other numerous times both in studio and live, enough to know each other's strength. Plus the paid pre-session rehearsals, etc.
--The recording isn't helped much by the sound quality either, but it's hard to tell how much of that was an off day from RVG or a botch by Ron McMaster.
I'm afraid we'll never know how the session was supposed to sound. I don't know what the cd sounds like, but I do have the LP from the 1970s BN Reissue Series, which was not mastered by Van Gelder, and the piano sounds a bit glassy and bass is almost drowned.
Also, the 2nd LP in that twofer, the High Frequency quartet session from 1966, which utilized almost the same rhythm section, save for Don Moore replacing Larry Ridley, is superior to Jacknife. I'm sure it will be released on cd some day.I do agree with you, Jacknife is not the best McLean, for sure.
"I think it is important to remember that many Blue Note dates were essentially somewhat better organized jam sessions with musicians who had not often-if ever-played together with results that were not always sterling."Substitute the words "Blue Note" with "jazz recording" and you've hit the nail on the head. Sadly, this remains largely true to this very day.
dh
You're probably right, especially in the historical aspect, although my sense is that on the whole many sessions these days are far better thought out-in some instances too much so-but not always better. Because of the overall economics of the industry, record labels are far less inclined to just let a bunch of guys run into the studio to knock off a few half-assed takes for a few bucks.Which raises another issue: There is a dark side to this subject that is frequently swept under the rug to avoid tarnishing the music's (jazz) image. Many dates in the '50's & '60's happened because the musicians pushed/begged/wheedled/conned the owners/producers of these small independent labels (Remember that Blue Note, Prestige, Riverside, Pacific Jazz, Contemporary, Verve/Clef?Norgran, etc., were not then owned by huge conglomerates.) into sessions for which they would get an advance to carry their drug habits for a time. The people running those labels usually did so as a labor of love rather than as businessmen (except for Norman Granz) and furthermore had developed strong personal relationships and empathy with many of those musicians. The potential upside came from the fact that the revenues largely went to those owners, so if a release caught on (e.g., something like Lee Morgan's "Sidewinder"), they enjoyed a windfall. (That is also, I think, why they recorded so many sessions: If you throw enough up on the wall, part of it may stick.) None of this is to say that the musicians were necessarily getting royally screwed-although the session guys virtually always got only a flat fee-and/or that the label owners were bad people (although some of them were, but not necessarily the ones I've mentioned), but those were the realities of the economics that existed.
By the way please do not assume that anything I've said above represents specific knowledge about the "Jacknife" sessions. My comments are strictly general in nature to try to provide some background to the conditions of the times.
...as the NYC doper's label in the 50's. When the guys would start to "get sick" they could often cobble together a quick record date for Weinstock, get some cash, and "get well".Allan points out that labels sometimes need to pay for rehearsals and prep time by musicians. Ironically, this is often the cause of record dates that sound like (are) pick-up dates. I know guys who have records out on Criss Cross and other labels who have great bands of their own. But the label execs fear new talent won't sell without big names on the record too. A pianist may have to make his debut recording with great players he's never even met before. All the acquaintence they may get is a couple of hours--not enough to build real rapport. The labels can't (or won't) pay the big names more money for more rehearsal. Thus, jazz recordings (especially by lesser known players on bigger labels) often reflect only a hint of what the artist can do in/with a band that really knows their playing. It's an unfortunate reality.
dh
But some of those Prestige pure "blowing" dates are unreal, don't you think? I am thinking of "Taylor's Wailers," "All Morning Long," "Soul Junction" and "The Elmo Hope Sextet"(or "2 Tenors" depending on which version you have!) among others. Slop? Yes. But REALLLLLY hot slop! Love that John Coltrane, circa 1958!
....just pointing out the less pleasant reality of that scene. There was a lot of great music made there in spite of the tyranny of junk, which is pretty amazing.
dh
A perfect example is the now classic Tina Brooks date "Minor Move." Even though the soloing is jaw-dropping in it's intensity from ALL on hand, the ensemble blowing is somewhat rough around the edges and thus it was rejected back in '58 only to see the light of day in the early 80's. Blue Note sessions in the Lion era (with the exception of some of the "live" dates like "Night of the Cookers," etc.) were for the most part NOT freewheeling blowing sessions. Lion actually booked rehearsal time for each session and PAID the musicians for that time! He really cared about the final product and you can hear it. I'm not saying the music is any BETTER than the freewheeling Prestige dates of the era, but it's CERTAINLY more polished. Wouldn't you agree?
I would certainly agree that on the whole the Blue Note sessions are better than those on Prestige, which also came up with some strange matchings just to see if 3 or 4 tenor players or a couple of trumpeters, etc., might turn into something worthwhile even without any rehearsal, planning, arrangements, etc. You've also brought out another good point, i.e., Alfred Lion didn't release a lot of material because he didn't think it was all that good. That kind of discrimination has not extended to subsequent owners of the catalog which have seem determined to mine those vaults for any old thing, frequently in multiple incarnations. And we as consumers keep buying based upon the label's well deserved reputation.
Can't put the blame all on the BN label, although they do deserve some. If you peruse the BN BB you will find many posts asking for Jacknife and others of the current crop of reissues to be released. (Might remind you that "fan" is short for "fanatics"). Such posts create a demand, albeit for inferior product. No doubt the label saw a chance for max profit with minimal investment. Cuscuna & Lundvall (at BN) should think twice before second-guessing Alfred Lion's initial evaluations of recording quality. Speaking of Cuscuna, he gets credit for keeping BN alive in the dark days, but much of his current work since then on the label is pretty questionable from an artistic standpoint; plus he has a tin ear for sound quality. I think it's pretty cheeky of him to list himself as the "reissue producer" right next to Lion's name, as if he should be equated with Mr. Lion. Anyway, we can have this discussion again when BN dumps its CDs and goes to SACD, and gets to recycle all of its product yet again.
r
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