James Blood Ulmer

Picked up a cheap LP copy of Black Rock the other day, in search of something different to listen to, and I'm not sure I understand the overproduction complaints. It's produced in the manner of an 80s jazz/funk record - like Material or something - and the result is rather sterile, with each element of the sound pushed into a tidy little box, and nothing poking out to disrupt the flow. The guitar tone suffers for this - it's a bit thin and bloodless, and I do find myself wanting to hear MORE of it now and then, especially in the denser and more improvisatory passages. It's a very restrained production, though, and the clear, spacious sound serves the music's agitated swing nicely, leaving lots of room for everyone to move around in. I can see as how, from a rock fan's perspective, the sound might lack body and violence, but I appreciate the emphasis on instrumental balance & interplay. Maybe not a great record, but it's got its moments.

Main problem for me isn't the production, but the emphasis on vocals. Much prefer the instrumental passages.

At this point I'd probably pay one of my fingers for the elusive Ornette bootleg Lonely Woman Trio 66 / Quartet 74 (the latter of which has JBU on guitar and fucking SIRONE on bass!!!!!) = my most wanted LP. I think it's a 4xLP thing, on the Japanese label P-Vine. If anyone has this in digital form, I really just wanna hear the fuckin' thing at this point!!!

Listening to Part Time on Spotify -- Odyssey band live. Good stuff

Meant to post this in this thread. I might even prefer this to Odyssey. A bit more ragged.

After listening back to this stuff this last few days, I have to say: I've always liked the idea behind Odyssey more than the reality. I do think it compares favorably to the other two Columbia records he did, Free Lancing and Black Rock (both of which I like). But as much as he kind of did a unique thing on that record--with the violin, no bass, and the different guitar tuning--I think I prefer him when he's a bit more unhinged and not doing modal dirges.

By contrast, the stuff he was doing right after Tales from Captain Black ca. 1980--Are You Glad To Be In America? and No Wave, the record he did leading Music Revelation Ensemble--feels to me a little more energetic and raw -- but still very Blood, with his signature polytonal blues licks. Are You Glad To Be In America? is a pretty ferocious record and the double drum set of Weston and Shannon Jackson is terrific. But No Wave is better than I remember -- in a similar vein, albeit a bit freer and slimmed down (only one horn w Murray and one drummer) and no vocals. Even a tune like "Big Tree" (which *is* a modal dirge) feels more lively and has a slightly more interesting head than anything on Odyssey, which often feels less like tunes and more like jams.

'are you glad to be in america?' blowing my mind today

This sounds great: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t8vmb6QNPWE

he's so amazing

Just saw him play a solo show in a Harvard Square church last night. I think some of the old-ish audience was a little confused as it was a monthly harmolodic jazz thing Dave Bryant organizes with former Prime Time guys but this was Blood singing a bunch of three minute Skip James-y blues songs. Still, his guitar accompaniment was pure.Odyssey – dirge-y but polytonal, slightly extended and quietly complex as hell. I was pretty fascinated.

Cool. Glad he’s still active

Gave the cd ‘South Delta Space Age’ a spin this morning. 1995 Laswell project with Ulmer that also included Ziggy Mogaliste and Bernie Worrell. It was not a bad listen, kind of like a lot of those Laswell type projects it’s big in groove more than composition. Some of it really sounds like a spacey version of a Booker T and the MGs record. It is really groovy.

Not maybe essential, but worth a listen if interested in the musicians. I will probably check it out again. “Blues March” was the cut that got with me the most in first listen. It was the one that made me think the most of the MGs.

This makes me wish I was still in London

https://www.cafeoto.co.uk/events/james-blood-ulmer-2024/